Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1546131
90 maconmagazine.com | August/September 2026 There's been two decades of progress in Macon's urban core. Now, change is creeping towards the river and over to the East side of town. Here's why many major improvement projects are converging on one fateful spot. What do Maconites think? T H E R O A D T O E A S T M A C O N STORY BY BRITTNY JOHNSON | PHOTOS BY MATT ODOM excited about this I-16/I-75 project," Mitchell said. "When you get off the interstate now, you pour right into the heart of downtown Macon. You could not ask for a better opportunity." Mitchell believes the new downtown exit fundamentally changes how visitors experience the city. Instead of weaving through streets after exiting the interstate, travelers will immediately know they've arrived in Downtown Macon. For local businesses, that visibility could translate directly into more customers and stronger economic vitality, Mitchell adds. The interchange is just one part of a broader transformation along the Ocmulgee River that includes a new arena, Mercer's medical school building, Bicentennial Park, a new convention center, the East Bank mixed use development, and the proposed redesignation of Ocmulgee Mounds as a national park. It's a lot of change in a small, walkable area. Together, the projects are expected to attract tourism, greater investment, and new economic opportunities further afield from where Downtown Macon's development had centralized, over into the east side of town. Mitchell understands the frustration and growing pains residents may feel during times of change, but for him, the inconvenience has always been temporary. Those seemingly small improvements represent something much larger: thoughtful infrastructure that improves everyday life. Paul Bronson, Macon-Bibb County commissioner for District 2, which covers part of this area, agrees. "We are in a historic period of momentum and transformation that will benefit future generations," Bronson said, "and with any major development comes doubt, uncertainty and skepticism… and that's okay. The construction may be an inconvenience today, but the long-term benefits will be significant for our residents, business owners, and those traveling through our community." For Dominique Johnson, pastor of Kingdom Life Church in East Macon and executive coach, growth is necessary, congestion while making it easier for commuters, visitors, and businesses to move through the city. It's been a long time coming. But the project, which began the final stage of construction in late 2025, is finally progressing. For Scott Mitchell, a downtown business owner who lives on Macon's East side, the redesigned interchange represents one of the biggest opportunities in decades. "I've been so F or the past several years, anyone traveling through downtown Macon has likely encountered orange barrels, detours and construction at the I-16/I-75 interchange. The Georgia Department of Transportation's (GDOT) project is designed to improve safety and mobility by adding lanes, widening shoulders, improving access ramps and creating safer pedestrian connections. The long-term goal is to reduce