Arnold Road repaving request approved

Jan. 25—The Glynn County Finance Committee on Tuesday approved a recommendation to repave and widen Arnold Road on St. Simons Island.

The repaving and widening from Demere Road to Ocean Boulevard will be done in conjunction with a utility project by the Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission.

The vote did not include a proposal to make Arnold Road a one-way street once the paving project, estimated to cost $40,000, is completed.

County Engineer Dave Austin said the widening and paving project will make the road work as a two-way or one-way road.

"It works both ways," he told commissioners.

Unfortunately, there was little buy-in by residents to give right-of-ways for a sidewalk, he said.

In other business, commissions unanimously approved a recommendation to pay $16,500 for a contract with Jacksonville-based engineering consultant Kimley Horn to assist in finding federal and state government funding for a St. Simons Island gateway project.

Commissioners propose to reconstruct the intersection of Sea Island Road and Demere Road to improve traffic flow, with primary funding coming from SPLOST 2022 revenue.

The Georgia Department of Transportation has indicated it would be more likely to spend money on the project if given the authority to manage it. Because the project will need approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, putting GDOT in charge has the added benefit of expediting approval from other government agencies.

A decision for an awards ceremony to use Massengale Park on May 21 for a Womp Off skimboarding event was deferred. Commissioner Allen Booker expressed concerns about the precedent that would be set by allowing a ceremony at the park.

Booker suggested deferring the vote until commissioners could approve the request without setting a precedent.

"It sounds like a fun event," Booker said.

Commissoner Walter Rafolski made the motion to defer a vote, which was unanimously approved.