Representatives from the Georgia Department of Transportation addressed the public Monday ahead of the Rome City Commission meeting, providing an update on the ongoing Second Avenue widening project.

Although the project is located inside the City of Rome, officials emphasized that it is coordinated, funded, and managed by GDOT. The presentation included updates on the status of the work, the project timeline, and the next steps planned along the Second Avenue corridor.

GDOT District 6 Engineer Grant Waldrep fielded questions from residents and State Representative Katie Dempsey during the presentation. Officials said the projected completion date for the project has now been pushed back to September of 2027.

According to GDOT representatives, several delays have been caused by previously uncharted underground infrastructure discovered during construction. Many of those issues involve aging water and sewer lines that pre-date the levee system, along with an old fire line serving Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center.

GDOT 14th District Board Member Micah Gravley, of Paulding County, also spoke during the meeting. Gravley pledged to continue working to improve communication and dialogue between GDOT and Rome city leaders as the project moves forward.

The Rome Commission Chambers were packed for the update, reflecting continued public interest in one of Rome’s most discussed infrastructure projects. GDOT officials themselves made up nearly a quarter of those in attendance.

The Second Avenue widening project is expected to continue impacting traffic and travel patterns in the area as work progresses toward the revised completion date.