Winder announced it will use $6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to bring flooding relief at the North Center Street underpass, which floods and can become impassable for motorists when it storms.
“When we had the opportunity to receive COVID-19 relief funds, we wanted to ensure the funds were used to benefit everyone equally,” said Mayor Pro Tem Travis Singley, who represents Ward 4 on city council.
Singley added that these funds are allocated based on population similar to Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds, but these specific dollars must be used to fund water, stormwater or sewer projects.
“In order to use these dollars for the benefit of every citizen we would need to identify a project outside of our own water and sewer operations as those don’t benefit every citizen. A stormwater improvement project on the other hand, that ends flooding in a major intersection, does just that,” Singley said.
The project will benefit public safety as the Winder Police Department currently has to monitor the intersection during storms. “Every time we get significant rain fall amounts, the underpass floods and our officers barricade off North Center Street to traffic to ensure the safety of the traveling public,” said Winder Police Captain Rikki Banks.
The plan for the North Center Street underpass is a 14-month construction project that will be ready for bid in Spring of 2023.
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