Since its creation in the mid 1980’s, the duties and responsibilities of the Engineering Department have grown and will continue to expand to address new concerns relating to our rapidly growing roadway transportation network. Our mission is to provide the citizens of Barrow County with safe, effective public roadways and drainage structures, and to establish a simple and effective standard operating procedure for new development beneficial to citizens, businesses, developers, county employees and the traveling public. The development of a sound, practical transportation plan is needed to ensure that our roadways are capable of safely and effectively accommodating increased traffic due to residential and commercial development.

Our goal is to expand the Engineering and Public Works Departments to serve the Transportation and Traffic Operations needs of the county. It’s our objective to break down the Department into divisions that will address every need, similar to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Other objectives include reducing drainage and traffic complaints and problems, building sound relationships with State and Federal agencies essential for needed funding and project completions. Continue to build a positive working relationship with our municipalities and our neighboring counties; continue education towards new, better and more cost effective ways to improve roadways; stay current on changing state and federal guidelines; establish a traffic calming program to help control traffic in residential areas. Increased population, traffic and pollution has resulted in Barrow County’s acceptance into the Atlanta Regional Commission “ARC”, this involves coordination to potentially qualify for extra funding in an overall attempt to maintain our existing roads and bridges, while planning improvements to handle traffic generated by growth. Over the last five years, new developments (mostly residential subdivisions) have more than doubled and will continue to present new challenges for this department concerning traffic safety and storm drainage management.

Barrow County currently maintains approximately 465 miles of paved roads (including 300 subdivisions), 50 miles of dirt roads, 69 miles of storm drain pipe, 25 bridge structures, 50 bridge culverts, street signs and stripping, 12 miles of concrete sidewalk and 240 miles of concrete curb and gutter. Some current duties of the Engineering Department relating to this roadway inventory include the involvement in:

• Roadway asphalt patching and resurfacing of existing roads
• Permits required from state, federal agencies for land and water disturbance to improve and repair, build county roads and bridges
• Dirt road right of way surveying – r/w acquisitions, road abandonment’s
• Design, drafting and staking
• Traffic engineering studies
• Project management
• Grading, drainage, base, asphalt for dirt roads and new roads
• Bridge and culvert repair – replacement
• Re-stripping
• Traffic signals
• Signage – pavement markings
• Georgia D.O.T. state funding request, coordination
• A.R.C. request for funding
• Intersection improvements
• Road improvements (widening, turn lanes, re-alignments)
• New roads
• West by-pass
• Speed ordinance permit
• Street light ordinance
• Residential traffic calming program
• Subdivision maintenance bond monitoring-estimates
• Utility permits, inspections
• R/w encroachments, entrance permits
• New development plan review (mostly subdivisions)
• Drainage surveys and repairs
• Cost estimates
• Rezoning field inspections and reviews
• Maintenance of roadway inventory and records r/w’s
• Provide Engineering services to other county departments for county projects
• Preparing of bid packages and project management
• Utility locates for work done in road r/w’s
• Coordinate county projects with Roads and Bridges Department