SR 20 Widening

FAST FACTS

GDOT Project #: 0014133
Type: Reconstruction/Renewal
Project Length: 2.1 miles
Affected Counties: Cherokee
Condemning Authority: GDOT
Estimated Affected Parcels: 102
Estimated Cost: $53,102,870
Right-of-Way Funds: $22,254,156

Description

The fourth of a 20-mile widening of State Route 20 from I-575 in Canton to Cumming, GDOT will be widening from East Cherokee Drive to State Route 369 through Macedonia. When finished, the new road will be six lanes wide, with three lanes of travel in each direction separated by a 20-foot center median. It will have urban shoulders, gutters, and a 5-foot sidewalk on either side.

Major intersections will include auxiliary turn lanes, and the project will need to acquire a great deal of property for these improvements. Those residences, commercial properties, and lands along the corridor could face significant losses.

Business and Homeowner Concerns

How much land owners lose depends heavily on the plan, the parcel, and what’s needed to complete the improvements. GDOT may take very little, or it may take an entire parcel. Home and business owners have little choice when it comes to losing property, but they can seek fair compensation for what the government takes.

If you own a property in the project corridor, GDOT may also take temporary or permanent easements on your property. A temporary easement may be for construction, to park equipment, or to access the construction site, for example. A permanent easement may be for utilities, drainage, or other needs.

With an easement, you would retain the ownership of the property and pay taxes on it, but you would not be able to use the property in any way you see fit. Additionally, the construction process may cause damage to property owners via inverse condemnation – when GDOT damages your property without taking any.

What to Do if Your Property Is Affected

It’s still your property until the government takes it. You still have rights, and there’s still time exercise them if you have not accepted their offer. The government has allocated more than $22 million to compensate property owners. Remember: the government wants to buy your property for as little as possible. We find the initial offer to be significantly low in many cases. You are not required to accept the government’s initial offer!

You have the right to fair compensation for what the government takes, whether it’s land or an easement. That compensation could be significantly more than the first offer and include things like lost business income or expenses like relocation. We can help you fight for them!

As long as you do not accept the initial offer, you have the opportunity to fight for more. We can help. Call 1-888-381-1339 or contact us as soon as possible for a complimentary case evaluation.

We do not take an attorney’s fee unless we increase the government’s offer, and our fee only comes from the increased amount – our no fee guarantee. Further, we front the costs of fighting your case and if we’re unable to increase the government’s offer to you, you don’t pay them. We do. That is how confident we are that we can assist you.

News and Publications

Moving Henry Forward

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Project Maps

Estimated Project Schedule

Right of Way Acquisition – 2023

Start Construction – 2025

End Construction – TBD

An estimated 102 parcels of property will be affected by the SR 20 Widening project in Forsyth County. Property owners may lose significant amounts of land, representing significant financial value and usability. 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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