Over the last five years or so, Augusta National has done a lot of work that has really altered the landscape in this section of town. Now here comes another project getting ready to go down. 

Off Washington Road you can’t help but notice the mole hill that has become a mountain, across the street from an Augusta National gate.

“I don’t know if they’re trying to fill in some land, they’re using it for construction…” said Elizabeth Diaz.

“But lots of dirt though?”

“Lots of dirt,” said Diaz.  

“Big piles of dirt. I know, it’s probably part of the Masters. They’re probably getting ready to build something,” said Amanda Hardy who lives nearby. 

The dirt is being dug up by Augusta National to get to the city’s 60 inch water main so it can be moved out of the way for another club project.

And plans filed with the city appear to show that project is something called the Washington Road Underpass. 

“That’s a lot of work for that area, I don’t know about tunneling under a heavy traveled road,” said Karen Jones. 

What the plans show is the tunnel going from The Nationals property on the north side of Washington Road under the street and tying into the gate one road.

The plans show it to be 26 feet deep, large enough for big trucks to use. 

“Well I don’t know, if it turns out like that, what can we say, you know?,” said Henry Williams.

“Did you ever expect a tunnel under Washington Road?” 

“No I didn’t, no I didn’t,” said Williams. 

The underpass isn’t the only part of the project. There’s landscaping. The plans indicate Augusta National will be planting more than 200 large trees in the area: pines, oaks and holly. 

“I’m for that. Being a retired forester, we need a beautiful landscape that’s for sure,” said George Brooks who lives in Washington Georgia. 

“So it’s going to be aesthetic and you won’t notice it. It’s Augusta man, what can I say,” said Williams. 

This is not a city project or state project, so construction schedules and costs are on the Augusta National Golf Club. 

A spokesman tells me ‘we don’t publicly speak about club business’.