AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – A new sign, towering over the 8th Street, tells you where you are: the new entry way arch for Augusta’s Riverwalk.
“They’ve been so long-awaited they’re way finding signage to let our visitors and some of our residents how to get on Riverwalk,” said Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Margaret Woodard.
One of the arches is in place, the other is heading to 10th Street. They will be lit so you can see them at night. Commissioners approved their placement in May 2016.
“Sometimes things happen like pandemics, construction costs, and we just had to wait until the price was right,” said Woodard.
A half-million dollars in sales tax money was approved long ago for the arches, and commissioners are happy to finally see them being installed.
“I think that the arches will add such a good personality to downtown Augusta, something we’ve been working on for years prior to my existence on the commission,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson.
But since the arches were approved, commissioners voted to change the name of the Riverwalk to the Edward M. McIntyre, Sr. Riverwalk Park, The arches just say “Riverwalk”.
“We’ll get that straightened out that’s probably something that was already in the works before we voted on it we’ll get it straightened out,” said Commissioner Bobby Williams.
But there are no plans now to alter the Riverwalk arches.
“We’re going to keep them like they are for now they were highly specialized and had to be fabricated we of course can look at it but for now I think we’re just going to stick where we are,” said Woodard.
The Riverwalk name on the arches is not changing, even though the name of Riverwalk has.
