Downtown improvements have fans and foes in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Downtown Augusta is getting multiple construction projects.
It’s costing $60 million for the newest project on Broad Street – to fix curbs, gutters, sidewalks and much more.
Work on that will start soon, but some homeowners are struggling to cope with changes that started in May.
They’re upset because of the way things look.
A month ago, workers were chopping down huge, historic trees to fix infrastructure issues.
Now the chopping has extended to Greene Street.
And while these projects are meant to help August, the changes are making some homeowners very upset.
Right now, the scene is of orange barrels here, piles of cement there, surrounded by tree stumps everywhere.
“When I saw the trees coming down, it was very emotional,” homeowner Joanne Greene said.
She’s called Augusta home for most of her life, growing up under the shade with the oak trees on Greene Street
“I feel like that’s there almost like, you know, they’re part of my childhood,” she said. “I’ve lived here as long as this tree has been here, because I’m 72.”
Starting in May, the city began major construction projects throughout Augusta, and she began to worry about her street.
“I went up to talk to the and she said that it had already been decided, and they were going to do that,” she said. “And my feeling was, ‘How could you do that?’”
Nearly a decade ago the city approved a project for Greene Street.
The street sees nearly 9,000 cars a day and is lined with businesses, churches and more.
COMING UP:
- There are five more projects planned on Fifth, Sixth, 13th, Broad and Telfair streets. They’re expected to take several years to complete.
Over time, it’s seen serious wear and tear, and a $12 million dollar project will bring new paving, parking, bike lanes, street lighting and more.
Greene its the improvements are needed.
“I think it has to be done,” she said. “Sometimes the infrastructure, of course, has to be done. You have to be realistic about it. You want to be.”
But at the same time, she said, “You can be very emotional about it.”
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