Ola

The Ola community in east Henry County is concentrated around the intersection of state route 81 and North Ola Road. The Ola schools, North Ola Park, and an upcoming grocery store anchor the area.

Ola High School is the county’s second largest high school by enrollment, as of March 2019, and consistently ranks among the county’s best schools. Other schools in the Ola cluster include New Hope Elementary, Ola Elementary, Rock Spring Elementary, and Ola Middle.

The most notable transportation project under development in the area is widening state route 81 to four travel lanes. The length of the roadway has been split into two phases, Postmaster Drive to Bethany Road representing phase I, and Bethany Road to Keys Ferry representing the second. Phase I is in preliminary engineering with right of way funding available in fiscal year 2020 through the Atlanta Regional Commission. Construction is anticipated in the mid-2020’s. Henry County has applied for federal funding to start preliminary engineering for phase II.

SPLOST Projects

SPLOST IV projects within the Ola area have included new ball fields at North Ola Park, the roundabout on Lake Dow Road, a bridge replacement project on Jackson Lake Road, and new turn lanes at SR 81 and Mt Bethel / Wynn.

Proposed projects within the SPLOST V program include the local match to apply for construction funding to complete phase I of the highway 81 widening project. The project list also includes the local match to start preliminary engineering on phase II.

Other proposed projects include the design work for future intersection improvements at SR 81 and Upchurch Road, Airline Road and McGarity Road, & North Ola Road and Snapping Shoals Road. Right of way and construction would depend on a future funding source. Local voters will decide whether to renew or end the local sales tax in November.