13 months ago
As you drive along I-75 and look over at Riverside Drive, you may see empty store fronts between Arkwright Road and Pierce Avenue, like an old Pizza Hut and Wendy's.
Chip Cherry with the Macon-Bibb Chamber of Commerce says the Georgia Department of Transportation bought and recently closed the Wendy's, because they'll use the land for redesign of the exit ramps when they expand I-75 to six lanes.
Business owners in the area hope the road project will help bring new life to the area.
An area of vacant buildings and empty signs surround Fred Morgan's Macon Office Supplies store in the Riverstreet Corners plaza.
After 12 years there, Morgan says many neighboring businesses have come and gone.
Morgan says, "I think as you see business spread in the north direction from here, you see the effects of that, maybe the closer you get back to town."
One business moving north is Natalia's Restaurant.
Owner Natalia Del Basso Orsini says she hopes to break ground on a new location on Bass Road in the next few months.
She says the plaza on Riverside Drive is not what it used to be, and she was ready for a change.
Morgan hopes the road project to widen I-75 to six lanes may change their luck.
He says, "we're excited that it might create an environment where businesses can thrive in this part of town, which is a great part of town."
Morgan adds, "to a lot of people, this is Macon's personality, when you're riding along the interstate, you look over there and say, that's Macon."
Macon City Councilwoman Lauren Benedict says while the closed Wendy's creates another eyesore, she too hopes the roadwork will eventually help revitalize the area.
Benedict says, "it doesn't speak well for that traveler going through, it doesn't encourage them to stop when they see all these vacant spaces so we need to do what we can to help businesses come back into this area and really make it grow."
Down the road at CJ's Sports Bar, bar manager Grant Goodrich hopes his business will grow along with the highway.
Goodrich says, "we're hoping it expands it enough where people can say now I've got so much room, I can take a break and it won't take me 20 minutes to get back on the interstate and get going again."
He says when businesses around you are failing and there are vacant buildings, it can be depressing and make you worry about your own business.
But he has you have to do what's necessary to stay afloat.
The Georgia Department of Transportation hopes to begin project by the end of this year.
Officials say it may take three years to complete.
