Revisiting the Jodeco Road development traffic study

Site plan for Bridges at Jodeco development
Bridges at Jodeco site plan (Jodeco 158 photo)
Bridges at Jodeco site plan (Jodeco 158 photo)

First considered for a large-scale mixed use development in 2015, the 158 acre tract located at the southwest quadrant of I-75 and Jodeco Road appears to be moving forward. Now entitled Bridges at Jodeco, the project’s residential components are expected to break ground soon with the first units available in fall 2020.

Bridges at Jodeco is being developed by Jeff Grant, a Henry County native, and Jodeco 158. Plans include 300 apartment units, 176 single-family lots, 90 townhouses, and 52.4 acres of commercial space. No commercial tenants have been announced to date.

When the project was originally proposed in 2015, a development of regional impact review was completed by Georgia DCA and the Atlanta Regional Commission. Though the concept site plan and proposes uses have undergone revisions since then, the recommendations from the project’s traffic impact study should still be valued and local governments look for funding to implement the recommendations.

The traffic study estimated that 34,317 new daily vehicle trips will be generated by the development. The study recommended several road improvements and intersection projects to support the additional traffic on surrounding roadways.

Perhaps the most notable transportation project is the planned western parallel connector between Hudson Bridge and Jonesboro Road. The WPC will be a new four-lane roadway that’s currently budgeted to start construction in 2023. The new roadway bisects the property.

In August 2019, county commissioners adopted a letter of support for the project asking Georgia DOT to accelerate its construction. Noteworthy, however, was that the resolution included segmenting the project to first build the connection between Hudson Bridge Road and Jodeco. The segment bisecting Bridges at Jodeco would be at the developer’s expense to build with Mount Olive Road remaining a two-lane road for the time being.

The traffic study also recommended widening Jodeco Road to four travel lanes between I-75 and Flippen Road. Henry County submitted a request for federal funding to design the project and purchase right of way in 2017, but the request was not awarded. Commissioners have included the request again in the 2019 solicitation with results expected in late winter 2020.

A final widening project in the development’s vicinity involves Jonesboro Road between I-75 and US 19 / 41 in Lovejoy. At the time of the traffic study in 2015, the project was budgeted in the short-term work program for construction. Since then, the project has been delayed to the mid-2030’s by Georgia DOT. Henry County commissioners included a request to segment the project and advance improvements between Mill Road and Chambers Road within their August letter to GDOT.

Intersection improvements recommended by the project included the following:

  • Install a traffic signal, with appropriate turn lanes, at Jodeco Road and the western parallel connector
  • Install a traffic signal, with appropriate turn lanes, at Jodeco Road and Chambers Road
  • Add turn lanes at Chambers Road and Mt. Olive Road (west)
  • Install a traffic signal, with appropriate turn lanes, at Jonesboro Road and Mt. Olive Road
  • Install a traffic signal, with appropriate turn lanes, at Jodeco Road and Mt. Olive Road (west)
  • Add turn lanes at Jodeco Road and Flippen Road
  • Construct a mini-roundabout at Chambers Road and McCullough Road
  • Add turn lanes at Jonesboro Road and Chambers Road
  • Install traffic signals, with appropriate turn lanes, at locations internal to the development along the western parallel connector where needed
  • Add turn lanes at Mt. Olive Road (west), Mt. Olive Road, and the western parallel connector

Note: the traffic impact study does not refer to the western parallel connector by name. Moving Henry Forward has substituted the road’s name where appropriate for this blog post.

The traffic impact study (81 pages) is available for viewing on the ARC website.

About Clayton 1746 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of The Henry Reporter. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.

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