Officials celebrate downtown Winder road completion

Officials celebrated the completion of the reconstruction of Broad Street in Winder, using a new construction method as part of the Highways for Life program. Participants include: (from left to right) state Sen. Frank Ginn, Georgia DOT Board Member Jamie Boswell, former Winder Mayor Buddy Ouzts, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, former Winder Mayor Chip Thompson, Mayor David Maynard, former Mayor John Mobley and state Rep. Terry England.

Officials praised a new construction technique Tuesday that could help a Winder street last for decades.

(This is) the way roads should be built, said Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, cutting a ribbon on the reconstruction of Winders Broad Street, where concrete panels were built in a neary factory and then pieced together at night along the city downtown thoroughfare.

The nearly $5 million project, construted by G.P. Enterprises of Statham, is expected to create a stronger driving surface. The city also pitched in money for new sidewalks, curb and gutter, benches, lighting and landscaping.

This project started as a vision almost 10 years ago. Today we celebrate the foresight and hard work of those who came before us, said Winder Mayor David Maynard, who gave credit to his predecessors Buddy Ouzts and Chip Thompson for their contributions. I am especially proud that local businesses were utilized for the project. The contractor is a local business from Auburn, GPs Enterprises and Foley Products of Winder made the precast concrete panels that are now North Broad Street.

Cagle praised the changes to the downtown landscape.

Today we applaud the use of innovative road building techniques that allowed improvements while minimizing the impacts to downtown, Cagle said. Because of the concrete panels used, this road is going to last longer than I am going to last. Thats the type of road infrastructure we need to be putting down, the way roads should be built. In addition to that it looks absolutely beautiful and will bring economic development and business transactions to Downtown Winder.

State Transprotation Board member Jamie Boswell praised the contractor for completing the work two months ahead of schedule, despite a record cold and rainy winter.

Through this project in Winder, weve shown the benefits and importance of a partnership mentality as Georgia DOT works together with local leaders, Boswell said.

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Officials celebrate downtown Winder road completion