Road Widening, Operation, and Safety Improvements on CS 1054/Douthit Ferry Road in Bartow County – Project #0007494

FAST FACTS

GDOT Project #: 0007494
Type: Reconstruction/Rehabilitation
Project Length: 2.5 miles
Affected Counties: Bartow
Condemning Authority: GDOT
Estimated Affected Parcels: 59
Estimated Cost: $33,250,036
Right-of-Way Funds: $11,330,000

Description

GDOT proposes to make significant improvements along 2.5 miles of County Street (CS) 1054/Douthit Ferry Road to help alleviate traffic congestion, delays, and crashes, as well as provide sidewalks and bike paths for pedestrians and bicyclists. The corridor affected by this project extends from Old Alabama Road to SR 61/SR 113 in the city of Cartersville located in Bartow County.

This project proposes the following improvements along CS 1054/Douthit Ferry Road:

Widening and reconstruction from 2-lane to 4-lane roadway
- Douthit Ferry Road from Old Alabama Road to SR 61/SR 113
Installment of raised medians
- Douthit Ferry Road from Old Alabama Road to SR 61/SR 113
Transition to two-lane roadway in both directions
- Douthit Ferry Road, south of Old Mill Road
Installment of flush center median
- Douthit Ferry Road, south of Old Mill Road
Addition and/or extension of intersection turn lanes
- SR 61/ SR 113
- Sam Smith Park main entrance
- Sam Smith Park secondary entrance
- First Baptist Church entrance
- Carrington Drive/Grove Park Circle
- Indian Mound Road
- Old Alabama Road
- Riverside Court
Widening of the bridge over the Etowah River
Installation of a dual-lane roundabout
- Pine Grove Road/Walnut Grove Road
Installment of sidewalks
- Both sides of Douthit Ferry Road
Installation of four-foot bicycle lanes
- On both sides of the Douthit Ferry Road,
- With the exception of:
  - Between Etowah River Bridge and Indian Mound Road
  - Between roundabout at Walnut Grove/Pine Grove Road and Carrington Drive/Grove Park Circle
  - Between Old Mill Road to SR 61/SR113

While this project is intended to improve safety, address operations issues, and improve pedestrian and bicycle mobility and safety along CS 1054/Douthit Ferry Road, property owners on the planned route should be aware of the changes being made and how their properties may be affected by both the process, construction, and resulting traffic patterns.

The following project information was provided by GDOT:

Project Phase	Amount	Program Year
Preliminary Engineering	$ 1,942,377	2019
Right of Way	$11,330,000	2024
Utilities	$ 527,165	2025
Construction	$19,450,494	2025
Total	$33,250,036

Business and Homeowner Concerns

When the government decides it needs your property for a project that will benefit the public good, it can legally take some or all of it under the power of eminent domain. The Fifth Amendment requires GDOT to make you an offer of just compensation for your property, but it’s important to remember that the initial offer may be low.

GDOT, like most buyers, is motivated to purchase property as affordably as possible and may not include items, such as relocation expenses and lost business income, in the initial offer. We can help you fight for that compensation!

Many GDOT projects involve temporary, permanent, and utility easements, which can be very tricky from a property rights standpoint. We encourage you to consult with an eminent domain attorney to better understand Georgia easement laws.

Contact us if you believe your property may be affected by GDOT’s plans for the Douthit Ferry Road improvements project, and we can discuss your circumstances and work with you to try to maximize your compensation.

What to Do if Your Property Is Affected

Even though the government can take your land, you have rights. GDOT has set aside an estimated $11,330,000 for right-of-way acquisition in program year 2024 for this project – but there may be surrounding circumstances that could complicate matters. We urge you to consult with an EMD attorney prior to accepting any GDOT offer.

You have the right to fair compensation. Remember: the initial offer is just the beginning – as long as you do not accept it. We can help you fight for more. Call 1-888-391-1339 or contact us as soon as possible for a complimentary case evaluation.

We guarantee our clients that we will not touch the government’s initial offer amount, and we will only take an attorney’s fee if we can increase that starting offer amount. At that point, our fee is calculated as a percentage of the increased amount only. The initial offer amount is 100% yours – we don’t touch it.

And we front the costs of fighting your case. If, for some reason, we are unable to increase the government’s initial offer to you, we absorb those costs – not you. We set up the payment structure this way because we are confident in the experience and know how of our eminent domain team, and we believe that we can help you.

Why? Since we’ve been in business, we’ve tripled our clients’ initial offers on average.¹

News and Publications

None at this time.

Project Maps

Estimated Project Schedule

The proposed timeline for Project #0007494 in Bartow County follows:

Preliminary Engineering – 2019

Right of Way Acquisition – 2024

Utilities – 2025

Construction – 2025

Affected Parcels

An estimated 59 parcels of property will be affected by the roadway project. Those property owners may lose a portion of their properties, or a significant amount of their value. For homeowners and commercial property owners in the path of the project, it is critical to understand that the government’s initial offer is just that – initial. We do not recommend you accept the initial offer.

Get a free case
evaluation today.

There are only a handful of attorneys in GA who practice eminent domain exclusively. And even fewer with DOT experience. That’s why it’s always worth it to get a free case evaluation.

Here’s how it works:

1) Tell us about your situation.

2) We research your property as needed, using DOT maps, our own technology, and experience to see the exact effects.

3) We let you know what we think a fair offer would be. This evaluation is free, and there’s no
pressure or obligation to hire us after.

But please don’t wait to act. Waiting can hurt your case, and the cost is the same: free.

1-888-391-1339

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