A round of funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation is expected to provide a much-needed study of how Davis Road might be improved ahead of a major industrial project set to start construction in 2025.

The City of Cedartown last week during their regular session approved of hiring Pond & Co. to conduct a traffic study on Davis Road ahead of the start of construction on the new SOLARCYCLE plant set to start next year.

City Manager Edward Guzman noted the city needs the study as growth along the corridor from Lindsey Chapel Road through to Highway 27 North will bring a lot more traffic especially in the form of new tractor trailer traffic up and down the roadway.

Davis Road already accommodates local residents and business traffic thanks to the connection of Industrial Park Boulevard – which includes several large facilities like OldCastle, Cedarstream and Advanced Storage Products.

SOLARCYCLE’s forthcoming solar panel recycling and glass production plant will increase that traffic more through construction, then opening after new hires begin work in the future facility alongside truck traffic.

“Our staff determined that an analysis of Davis Road was necessary, but funding the study was a potential roadblock,” Guzman said. “Fortunately for the city, we were accepted into the USDOT’s Thriving Communities program and that has provided us a $90,000 grant to pay for the work we need to determine the future of Davis Road.”

Guzman added that “Davis Road was the natural selection for the project as we expect a major increase of traffic when SOLARCYCLE opens its doors.”

Widening within the city limits portion of Davis Road could be the next step after the study, but the city will also have to find funding for that project.

Some of the work they needed to complete ahead of the SOLARCYCLE project – like roadway entrances already paved and connected to Davis Road – was completed several years ago thanks to a Georgia Power grant to help bring the site up to GRAD status, meaning it is available for rapid economic development.