Henry County has approved a rezoning request for a new grocery store on Highway 155. The site appears to be a new Kroger Marketplace in Locust Grove based on available documents. The store will be at the northeast corner of State Route 155 and Bill Gardner Parkway.
Kroger Marketplace Locust Grove
MHF News first shared about a possible grocery store considering the Luella area in June. The county commissioners approved the final part of the proposed grocery store at their October 15 meeting. The county approved rezoning a three-acre tract from industrial to commercial. The rest of the proposed development has an existing commercial zoning.
According to the site plan, the new store will be a Kroger Marketplace. It measures 118,337 square feet. It has a dedicated order pick-up area and pharmacy drive-thru lane. This would be the company’s second Kroger Marketplace in Henry County. They opened their first Marketplace store in the Union Grove community earlier this year.
In addition, the site plan has shops space and outparcels. The shops space measures 12,512 square feet. Henry County approved a rezoning request for the outparcels in September. During that meeting, some possible uses mentioned were various restaurants. A Kroger fuel center will also be part of that area. It will be adjacent to Bill Gardner Parkway.
Lastly, the site plan depicts a new traffic signal at the project’s northern entrance. This would also provide motorists with better access into the Publix shopping center. The signal’s installation will require Georgia DOT’s approval since its on a state highway.
A real estate listing for the shops space is estimating the new Kroger will open in spring 2026.
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Future Road Projects
The subject property is located at the crossroads of two future road widening projects. They include both Bill Gardner Parkway and State Route 155.
Henry County is the project sponsor to widen Bill Gardner Parkway. The county’s transportation SPLOST program is paying for the project. The work extends between I-75 and SR 155. Right now, the project is buying right of way. Construction could start at some point in 2025.
Next, Georgia DOT is leading the highway 155 widening. This project is from I-75 to Bill Gardner Parkway. The state hired an engineering group in 2022 to begin preliminary design work. According to the state’s website, additional engineering work is part of the state’s 2026 budget. Right of way acquisition would follow in 2028 and, finally, construction in 2030.
In addition to SR 155, the state DOT is planning to build a new interstate exit near Bethlehem Road. They plan to hire a general contractor for the project in 2025, and begin construction by 2026. That project has a $261 million dollar cost estimate.
Featured image shows an aerial photo of highway 155 and Bill Gardner Parkway. Georgia Drone Pros photo with added road names.
