THOMASVILLE — Thomasville City Council approved an expenditure that will result in completion of the design for South Pinetree Boulevard improvements.

Council members voted to pay Falcon Design Consultants $71,800 from 2012 special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) revenue.

Thomas County commissioners contracted with Falcon to develop a design for South Pinetree improvements from West Jackson Street to Magnolia Street, including a roundabout at Pinetree and Magnolia.

County government had budgeted $5.2 million in SPLOST revenue for the project, when the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) offered a $3 million grant if city and county officials agreed on rights-of-way ownership and a design.

County commission Chairman Ken Hickey said county SPLOST funding budgeted for the project will go to the SPLOST contingency fund to pay for other road work.

City SPLOST revenue will pay for work exceeding the DOT grant amount.

The city and county reached an agreement that puts Pinetree rights-of-way from West Jackson to East Jackson Street in city ownership.

In addition to the roundabout, the project includes a 10-foot bike/walk trail from West Jackson to Magnolia, improved drainage with pipes, concrete curb and gutter and a new asphalt surface. The bike/walk trail position has not been determined.

The project is expected to begin by June 1, 2018, and end by Dec. 31, 2018, said Steve Sykes, city manager/utilities superintendent.

“Part of the design is to determine where turn lanes will be put in during initial construction,” Sykes said.

The design will allow for installation of future turn lanes, if necessary.

County government paid the bulk of the design consultant cost before the city-county agreement, Sykes said, adding that the amount approved by the council is what was left when the city picked up the contract.

The usual cost for such a study is from $180,000 to $200,000, Sykes said.

“The county has already paid for a lot of the preliminary work,” he said.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820