MACON, Ga. — There's less than one week until 2024, but before all the New Year celebrations, we're taking a look back at what happened this year in Macon-Bibb County.
Public Safety
"You can look for those to drop every week. The technology company is working feverishly to get those in. The equipment's been ordered. So, they'll come online as early as in the next week," Macon Mayor Lester Miller said in May.
Miller was talking about a network of security cameras coming to downtown Macon. Commissioners approved $700,000 in February for the technology. It was part of a series of technology updates Miller hoped would help law enforcement.
"Drivers should know that they need to slow down," Sheila Hollingshed said in August about school zones.
The year also saw expanded use of school zone speeding cameras, with even more set to come online in the new year. Enforcement for the new cameras will start Feb. 5, but they'll issue warnings starting Jan. 4.
Talks of a new jail and updates to the current facility dominated the end of the year after four inmates escaped in October. Now that all four inmates are back in custody, the Bibb County Sheriff's Office is investigating what went wrong. They fired a deputy last week, saying he didn't follow protocol.
Entertainment and Tourism
"We could actualize $230 million of economic activity annually for the entire region that this park touches," Mayor Pro Tem Seth Clark said in July.
The year started with hopes the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park would soon become the state's first national park. With the new designation would be a possible multi-million dollar development in east Macon.
A National Parks Service report released this year says making the Ocmulgee Mounds a national park may not be financially feasible. The final call goes to Congress.
"You may have, you know, one big show with three big artists," Macon Centreplex General Manager David Aiello told 13WMAZ this month about the possibilities the county's new amphitheater might bring.
Construction continued this year on the 12,000-seat venue, along with announcements about five acts already slated for 2024.
New pickleball courts opened inside the Macon Mall as county leaders look to revitalize the Eisenhower Parkway corridor.
Road Improvements
"Looking at ways to reduce pedestrian incidences and find ways to improve our infrastructure," Macon-Bibb Pedestrian Safety Review Board Chair Gregory Brown said in April.
The county once again budgeted $500,000 for pedestrian safety initiatives. The Georgia Department of Transportation also announced five new 'medianettes' are coming to Gray Highway to give pedestrians somewhere to safely stop while crossing the busy road.
"We are aggressively trying to get a handle on it and get more done from this point forward," Commissioner Raymond Wilder said in October.
The county allocated millions for various road resurfacing and repainting projects on some of its worst-rated roads. They're rated from 1 to 5, with 5 being the worst. Miller says he hopes all level 4 and 5 roads be fixed up by 2025.
Blight Fight
Macon-Bibb County also continued its 'Blight Fight,' knocking down a 600th building they called dangerous to people around it. Habitat for Humanity announced plans to build on several of the vacant lots left behind.
The county also set up a revolving loan fund to help developers build new, affordable housing where the blighted buildings once stood.