Which project on Skidaway Island has drawn the most public comment over the past two years, and which one will change your morning drive first? The Green Island Road path drew 378 formal comments during Chatham County's 2024 comment period. Construction on the new signal at the Diamond Causeway intersection by The Landings Main Gate could begin around the second quarter of 2027, months before the path goes out to bid.
The two are linked. When people raised concerns about crossing Diamond Causeway on the path, the County's response pointed to a new signal at the Main Gate intersection, designed on the basis of traffic analyses completed in October 2024. That signal is now a separate County project. It is expected to reach the road first and stay under construction for about a year.
On November 4, Chatham County Engineering held a town hall at Skidaway Island Methodist Church. According to the Landings Association's recap, around 200 island residents attended to hear about four related pieces of work. Here they are in the order they're expected to show up on the road:
- Diamond Causeway at Green Island Road and McWhorter Drive. A traffic signal replaces the four-way stop near the Main Gate. Construction is anticipated around Q2 2027 and could take about 12 months.
- Diamond Causeway at Lake Street and Westcross Road. This is mainly a signal equipment upgrade, plus a longer left-turn lane onto Lake Street.
- A 10-foot path along Diamond Causeway linking Green Island Road to the Lake Street and Westcross area. The County says it will be built along with the intersection work.
- The Green Island Road path itself. It is in right-of-way acquisition now and on schedule for a November 2027 let to construction.
Where the Path and the Signal Meet
The path is the older idea. In its January 2025 response letter, the County says the path entered the Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization's Non-Motorized Transportation Plan in 2020 after public input. It moved onto the regional Transportation Improvement Program in 2021 and was awarded federal Transportation Alternatives funding in 2022.
Then came the December 5, 2024 open house at Skidaway Island Baptist Church and an online survey that ran through January 3, 2025. Of the 378 people who formally commented, 210 opposed the path, 106 supported it, 45 gave conditional support and 17 were uncommitted.
One of the main concerns was how path users would get across Diamond Causeway at Green Island Road. The County's comment response letter addressed it by describing the intersection design. Based on traffic analyses completed in October 2024, the County was designing a new signal and auxiliary turn lanes, including a right-turn lane from Diamond Causeway onto Green Island Road, plus pedestrian signal equipment. The same letter said the County was considering a path extension to Lake Street. It would give people an alternate route to and from The Village on Skidaway and reduce crossings at the Green Island Road intersection.
That extension is now the 10-foot Diamond Causeway connection. The County's Green Island Road Path project page describes it as part of a separate County project. That project signalizes the four-way stop, upgrades signal equipment and timing at Lake Street and Westcross, and extends the path to the Lake Street intersection.
What the Main Gate Intersection Will Look Like
According to the Landings Association recap, the County's current proposal for Diamond Causeway at Green Island Road and McWhorter Drive includes:
- A traffic signal in place of the four-way stop
- A dedicated right-turn lane from Diamond Causeway onto Green Island Road
- Pedestrian signals
- Roadway sensors
- Intersection lighting
- Coordination with nearby signals to help manage traffic flow
The recap also reports that several residents asked about the signal's effect on traffic flow and safety. Some asked the County to reconsider a roundabout. County representatives explained why they chose the signal design and encouraged residents to keep sending feedback as the project moves forward.
At Lake Street, the change is smaller. The left-turn lane from Diamond Causeway onto Lake Street gets longer. The County plans to run that turn as a protected green arrow at first, as a safety measure. New signal equipment will also let the signals along Diamond Causeway work together. For anyone who drives between the Main Gate and The Village, the two intersections are being designed as one coordinated stretch.
The Path That Came Out of the Comment Period
The path in the 2026 plans differs from the one shown in December 2024 on almost every point people commented on.
| Issue raised in 2024 | What the County changed or committed to |
|---|---|
| A crossing of Green Island Road south of Westcross Road | Removed; the path stays on the west side for its full length |
| Two crossings at Diamond Causeway | One removed; existing medians to serve as pedestrian refuges |
| Closeness to homes on the east side | West-side alignment, set as far from the roadway as possible |
| Tree clearing and loss of the wooded buffer | Gentle meanders, specimen trees identified in the field, restorative landscaping or protective fencing considered |
| Golf carts mixing with walkers and cyclists | January 2025: widths would not prohibit golf carts, with geometry designed for speeds up to 18 mph. November 2026: golf carts will not be permitted |
The golf cart row has changed the most. In January 2025, the County wrote that the path would be "primarily designed for bicyclists and pedestrians and with widths that will not prohibit use by golf carts." According to the Landings Association recap, the November 4 presentation described a path for pedestrians and bicycles, with sections of boardwalk and low-level lighting, where golf carts will not be permitted.
The route runs along County property on the west side of Green Island Road. A March 2025 Landings Association update described it as running from South Harbor to the southwest corner of the McWhorter Drive, Green Island Road, Diamond Causeway and Main Gate intersection. The regional Transportation Improvement Program lists the project as Green Island Road from south of Lufburrow Way to Diamond Causeway, 2.1 miles long. In the County's words, the path will be maintained by Chatham County within the existing public right-of-way. The same letter says The Landings Association planned to install gate arms and security checkpoints to control access to subdivisions along the corridor.
The County's environmental work found no historical or archaeological resources in the study area. It did identify ten ecological resources under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction, and the path's "best-fit" alignment was chosen to avoid or minimize impacts to them and to existing Georgia Power lines. The timber boardwalk sections shown in the town hall drawings are one result of that approach.
Two Schedules, One Intersection
The path's own timeline has moved back. In March 2026, Chatham County asked the regional planning organization to shift path construction from fiscal year 2027 to fiscal year 2028. In June 2026, the right-of-way phase moved into fiscal 2027. GDOT approved the project concept in June 2025. Right-of-way acquisition has started, and the County lists a November 2027 let to construction.
The intersection work runs on a separate track. Construction is anticipated around Q2 2027 and could take about 12 months. If both schedules hold, the Main Gate intersection will still be under construction when the path contract is let. The Diamond Causeway path link would be built along with the intersection, so it could be in place before most of the Green Island Road path.
The path budget has shifted too. The 2022 application estimated the project at $3,025,000, with $2,420,000 in federal funds and about $605,000 from Chatham County SPLOST. The FY 2027–2030 Transportation Improvement Program lists $3,092,804 for the remaining phases. That includes $771,680 in federal funds and $2,321,124 in local funds.
Where Comments Go Now
The County has posted the November 4 presentation on the Green Island Road Path project page, along with the January 2025 comment responses. It asks for additional comments and questions at [email protected]. The Landings Association recap also points residents to the County Engineer's current projects page for feedback as the work moves forward.
We're following each step at the Main Gate and along Green Island Road. If you're wondering how a year of intersection work might affect a move, a sale or the timing of showings near the gate, The Landings Home Team is glad to talk it through with you. Let's start a conversation.
