MACON, Ga. — A gym, a tire center, and an urgent care center could soon find a home on Macon's Bass Road. Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning approved those businesses Monday.
It comes on top of even more development planned for the area.
Of course, more business means more traffic.
Over 12,000 cars pass through Bass Road a day, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. It's four times the amount of cars the state counted back in 2010.
Google Earth shows just how much Bass Road has grown over the decades from an exit off I-75 of pine trees and a few houses to now a bustling road full of stores, restaurants, medical offices, luxury apartments and more.
But with more business on the way means even more traffic.
"It's pretty heavy, not gonna lie. Sometimes it's hard to get out so it's like hopefully you get out without getting hit," said Ray Lockett.
"You're looking at hundreds of cars trying to get to just a few places on a two-way road, and add in rush hour -- it's impossible to move," said Capt. Wilton Collins.
For years, county officials have said Bass Road needs to be wider than just two lanes.
A project between the county and the Georgia Department of Transportation is supposed to be in the works to expand a one-mile stretch. The road would go from two lanes to four from New Forsyth Road to Providence Boulevard.
But it looks as though that is nowhere near breaking ground. Back in 2019, the state said that is could be 2026 until we see any construction.
Neither the state nor Macon-Bibb County would give an update on the project timeline.
Drivers like Ray Lockett, a Wesleyan student who drives the stretch often, says something needs to be done now.
"We need another light. That's just what we're going to have to need!" Lockett said.
The sheriff's office says the only thing they can do is say drive safe, and if you can, avoid the area.
"From our perspective, until the road is widened, whatever their plans are in the future, we just ask people to be aware of that and drive careful," Collins said.
Again, we got very few details on when that expansion project would happen.
So while Bass Road waits on a traffic solution, more developments are expected to come to the area. A Taco Mac, Dunkin' Donuts, and a new bank are just some businesses that are already approved along with the gym, tire center and urgent care.