SR 40 Reconstruction

FAST FACTS

GDOT Project #: 0000820
Type: Reconstruction
Project Length: 11.5 miles
Affected Counties: Camden, Charlton
Condemning Authority: GDOT
Estimated Affected Parcels: 50
Estimated Cost: $46,167,070
Right-of-Way Funds: $5,411,000

Description

GDOT began preliminary engineering on the SR 40 reconstruction in 2003, partially in response to problems during the evacuation from Hurricane Floyd in 1999. After many years, the project is moving ahead, and affected property owners who may have been lulled into inaction now need to take action.

SR 40 is a primary travel route and a hurricane evacuation route, so widening it serves many purposes. This project focuses on the 11.47-mile portion of the SR 40 corridor between milepost 5.21 in Charlton County to County Route (CR) 66, Colerain Road MP 10.12 in Camden County. GDOT will widen the road to four lanes and lengthen several box bridge culverts along the path as well.

The reconstruction is proposed to include 12-foot travel lanes and a flush median width varying between 4 and 14 feet in width. GDOT estimates the new required right of way will be between 194 and 210-feet wide.

These updates will be welcomed by travelers and those fleeing violent storms, but they represent a serious threat to local property owners.

Business and Homeowner Concerns

With any widening project, GDOT will take portions of parcels along the path to accommodate the right of way, including necessary drainage easements. And while GDOT revised its project plan to attempt to reduce the impact, the project will still result in significant takings.

If you happen to own a home or commercial property along in the path of this project, you should know your rights. Any taking of property may dramatically alter the ways you can use your land, how your improvements adhere to code, and reduce your enjoyment. A wider road means more noise and traffic concerns. Access to residential and commercial properties could be negatively altered.

In addition to the road, the project will have to address drainage, which may mean easements are taken. GDOT may also take construction easements, and the construction process may cause damage to property owners via inverse condemnation.

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 $5 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!

Our state constitution gives you the right to fair compensation for what the government takes. That could be significantly more than the first offer. Compensation for lost business income or expenses like relocation are almost never included. 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 1-888-391-1339 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 guarantee². 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

The Brunswick News

Project Maps

Estimated Project Schedule

Right of Way Acquisition – 2028

Start Construction – 2030

End Construction – TBD

Affected Parcels

An estimated 50 parcels of property will be affected by the SR 40 Reconstruction project in Camden and Charlton Counties. 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.

Call us at 1-888-391-1339 or contact us online as soon as possible for a free case evaluation.

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

"*" indicates required fields