More than a year after sustaining significant structural damage, the Georgia Department of Transportation has updated the City of Demorest on their plans to repair the retaining wall on Central Avenue.
The wall sustained damage during Hurricane Delta in October of 2020 and has been a point of concern for the city council ever since. They were waiting in limbo to hear back from GDOT to find out how much they could help with repairs, and how much the city would have to pay to get the wall and sidewalk that runs over it back in shape.
Monday, those questions were answered when GDOT approached the city manager and mayor for a meeting to update them on all the projects going on in Demorest: GDOT will cover the expense and labor of the whole project.
“The wall has been an eyesore for quite some time,” Demorest Mayor Jerry Harkness said. “They [GDOT] hopefully will start working on in late July. They have the funding for their next [fiscal] year, which starts in July. Hopefully, it’ll take them about three months to get that complete.”
The new wall will look similar to the one below and will be texturized with stamped concrete. GDOT will also update and maintain the sidewalk running over the wall, as well as the handrails.
“The design that they showed us tonight is beautiful,” Harkness said. “It’s a beautiful cement wall with stone accents. It’ll be a great added feature to the City of Demorest.”
GDOT is expected to begin repairs in July and would finish the project by the fall.
