Forsyth County names portion of Pilgrim Mill Road for Zachary Evan Steele

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously at its Feb. 19 regular meeting to designate a segment of Pilgrim Mill Road as the "SPC Zachary Evan Steele Memorial Road," honoring Spc. Zachary Evan Steele, described in county materials as a lifelong Forsyth County resident. The resolution passed with community members present during the meeting.

The Original Report summarized who was involved as “The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners and members of the local community.” Forsythco issued a statement that read: “Dedicating a portion of Pilgrim Mill Road as 'SPC Zachary Evan Steele Memorial Road' ensures that Zach's name will live on in the community he loved. Long”, the Forsythco text ends mid-sentence in the material provided.

The memorial naming comes as county officials continue work connected to a long‑planned Pilgrim Mill Road widening. County Engineering Director John Cunard told commissioners that funding for the widening came from the 2014 transportation bond program after the county did not meet expected revenue from SPLOST V. Cunard outlined the lane plan for the corridor, saying, “It’ll be four lanes up to Freedom Parkway and then taper down to three lanes up to Holtzclaw Road.” He said the county will bid construction once right of way has been acquired.

Procedural steps tied to the widening are already underway. The county commission voted last month to allow the engineering firm Moreland Altobelli to begin acquiring right of way for the Pilgrim Mill Road project. On the question of whether the project needed a new intergovernmental agreement, County Attorney Ken Jarrard asked Cumming officials for guidance; Cumming City Attorney Dana Miles said he received Jarrard’s request and advised the project is covered by the existing SPLOST agreement. Cumming City Council then ratified that position by a 5–0 vote. Mayor H. Ford Gravitt said the City of Cumming had already widened its portion of Pilgrim Mill Road to the Cumming Aquatic Center and the National Guard Armory as part of the original agreement.

Public records and sources reviewed for this report do not specify the exact endpoints of the stretch designated as the SPC Zachary Evan Steele Memorial Road, nor do they state whether new signage has been ordered or whether a formal dedication ceremony is planned. The full text of the Feb. 19 resolution, the meeting minutes for the commissioners' vote, and details about sign placement have not been released with the materials reviewed; officials named in connection to the project include County Attorney Ken Jarrard, County Engineering Director John Cunard, Moreland Altobelli, Cumming City Attorney Dana Miles, and Mayor H. Ford Gravitt.