New details about the planned reconstruction of a section of U.S. Highway 27 over Taylor’s Ridge show that the Georgia Department of Transportation intends to install a permanently anchored retaining wall as part of its effort to stabilize the mountainside.

The project, known as Phase II of the Taylor’s Ridge slope repair, covers approximately two-tenths of a mile of Highway 27 in Chattooga County.

According to construction bid documents, the work includes building a retaining wall designed to help secure the unstable slope, along with grading, roadway repairs, erosion-control measures and fencing.

The project also calls for engineering analysis of the hillside’s overall stability.

Unlike routine highway resurfacing, the work is intended to address the underlying instability that has caused portions of Highway 27 to settle and shift over the years.

The highway has a long history of slope problems, including significant roadway movement in 2019 that required temporary repairs and traffic restrictions.

Georgia DOT previously completed an earlier phase of stabilization work on Taylor’s Ridge in 2021.

The department announced October 19 that the latest project was among its September construction contract awards, listing an investment of approximately $7.4 million.

Earlier bidding records had identified an apparent low bid of approximately $4.08 million. The reason for the difference between that figure and the announced contract value has not yet been established.

Construction information previously listed November 17 as the anticipated starting date, while the contract documents specify November 30, 2027, as the completion deadline.

The project is particularly important for Chattooga County motorists because Highway 27 over Taylor’s Ridge is a major connection between Summerville and Rome, used daily by commuters, commercial traffic and emergency vehicles.

The project is designed to preserve the highway’s existing two-lane configuration rather than widen the roadway.

Sources: Georgia Department of Transportation, Project 0015413; September 2026 Construction Bid Documents; Georgia DOT October 19, 2026 Contract Awards; Georgia DOT Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.