Longtime Columbus restaurant closes due to road project. Owner says it’s a positive thing

Columbus native Ronzell Buckner opened Skippers Seafood , on Buena Vista Road more than 20 years ago.

Over the years, Buckner’s restaurant developed a loyal customer base as he found ways to enrich his South Columbus community by founding the grassroots organization Turn Around Columbus , which provides agricultural and business education along with scholarship opportunities for participating students.

But a major construction project near Skippers Seafood on Buena Vista Road created ongoing challenges for Buckner’s business.

In 2018, the Georgia Department of Transportation signed off on a $47 million project to widen the Buena Vista Road bridge over Interstate 185 and construct a Diverging Diamond Interchange — the first in Columbus.

This years-long construction project made navigating Buena Vista Road and getting to Skippers Seafood more difficult, Buckner told the Ledger-Enquirer. The decreasing number of customers led to him permanently closing the business last week.

But despite the road projects’ effects on Skippers Seafood, Buckner believes in the positive changes this construction will bring to South Columbus.

“I know that once that project is completed, it’s going to make that area I live in — it’s going to make our community — a lot better looking and (easier) to get around,” Buckner said.

Update on Buena Vista Road construction

The Diverging Diamond Interchange or DDI can move traffic in more than one direction at once while also reducing crashes.

So far in Columbus, the eastbound overpass at the intersection has been replaced and is currently handling traffic in both directions as construction crews build the new westbound overpass, Gina Snider, GDOT District 3 communications officer, told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email.

“Construction activities also include work on the on- and off-ramps in preparation for the future diverging diamond configuration that will be implemented,” Snider said.

Utility crews are relocating lines in preparation for the future widened roadway on the east end of the project, she said. On the west end, teams built retaining wall sections to protect apartment residents and businesses from the traffic of the future widened roadway.

A wall was placed in front of Skippers Seafood, which created a challenge in attracting customers, Buckner said.

“It really blocked my business from the traffic,” he said. “And you can’t see nothing but the roof of my building.”

When crews began work on the roadway, Buckner said, drivers got confused about where cones and barriers were directing traffic. This resulted in less traffic on Buena Vista Road, especially at night when it’s more difficult to see.

The project has incurred invoices for more than $41 million so far, Snider said. This includes $3 million in preliminary engineering, or planning and design, $17 million in right-of-way acquisition and $21 million in utility relocation and construction.

COVID-19 created the largest complication, Snider said, resulting in extensive materials delays and staffing difficulties. Recently, the weather has also caused delays.

“The contractor, C.W. Matthews, has worked hard to stay as close to the original schedule as possible despite the challenges,” Snider said.

GDOT is working with C.W. Matthews and reviewing a request for a time extension because of recent weather and utility delays. As of early August, GDOT estimates the construction will be completed next summer, Snider said.

What’s next for Buckner

Closing Skippers Seafood was heartbreaking for the customers in his community, Buckner said, but he feels it was the right thing to do.

“It was heartbreaking to me to have to close it,” he said. “But I knew that I was putting (customers) in danger coming down in here like that, and it was hurting my business.”

Buckner worked to keep the business afloat for about two and a half years, he said. When GDOT first began the project, Buckner met with the department and the city manager to talk about the construction.

Buckner doesn’t think anything could have been done to save Skippers Seafood in the end, and he believes the interchange will be a net positive for his community.

“It’s going to make our south side area look beautiful,” he said. “And people are going to have pride as far as the way it’s going to be done.”

For now, Buckner will focus on his work with Turn Around Columbus, teaching students about agriculture and how to run a business at the George Washington Carver Victory Garden & Farm.

He does hope that after the construction is complete, someone sees the value in Skippers Seafood and revives it.

“If somebody wants to purchase the business, I think they would be successful in it,” Buckner said.