According to Albany's WALB-TV, the Georgia DOT is getting ready to pay approximately $500,000 to consultants to study the feasibility of extending I-185 from Columbus/Fort Benning to Albany, Thomasville, and Tallahassee. For the article and news video clip, please click here. (URL provided by Brian Holt via the Yahoo! seroads newsgroup.)
During the 1980's, GDOT already spent millions of dollars to 4-lane a stretch of road from Columbus to Albany, Tifton, Waycross, and Brunswick (GA 520 - South Georgia Parkway) as part of its Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP) for the same reason that the I-185 extension proposal is being made... economic development. In fact, the proposed I-185 extension, if built, would follow GA 520 from Columbus to Albany, then follow US 19/GA 300 (Georgia-Florida Parkway), and then US 319/GA 35 down to Tallahassee, all 3 routes that already have been 4-laned as part of the GRIP program.
According to the article, there is already heated debate within Southwest Georgia as to whether or not to extend I-185 through their region. Thomas County leaders have gone on record as being in opposition, saying that they already have enough "federal roads"(US 19, US 84, and US 319, all GRIP corridors BTW).
Here's how I sum it up.... if you already have spent millions of dollars 4-laning existing roads and you are not seeing the benefits, then I seriously doubt that sinking more into upgrading them to Interstate standards are going to help (long- or short-term). Furthermore, the limited amount of road funds we already have (federal, state, and local) need to be concentrated more on areas with real traffic problems such as Metro Atlanta (the economic engine of Georgia and the South) and the improvement of I-75 and I-95 (significant Eastern U.S. major north-south traffic corridors).
Here's an idea... if Southwest Georgia wants a new limited-access highway so bad, then why don't they try to convince a private outfit to engage in a "public-private partnership" with GDOT to build a toll road (similar to Virginia's Dulles Greenway). Heck, I'll even draw up a route free of charge, under the condition that this road be named the "Steve Williams Southwest Georgia Turnpike". If you think that such a road can pay for itself with collected tolls (especially from trucks that could use it to bypass I-75), then, design it and build it. If not, then just put the whole thing to rest and be satisfied with what GRIP and our tax dollars already got you.
But the "roadgeek in me" says that, if I-185 ever does get extended (which I doubt will happen anytime soon), that would be more Interstate miles for me to "clinch". :)
That's my $0.02 for today. Thanks again for reading and please do so often.
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6 comments:
I really have one opinion on this and any other proposed new Interstate:
"But the "roadgeek in me" says that, if I-185 ever does get extended (which I doubt will happen anytime soon), that would be more Interstate miles for me to "clinch". :)"
I look at it like that, if a new Interstate comes to fruition, its a new road for me to clinch, and I like that. :o)
extended I-185 by using the same process of private-public partnership as VA-267/Dulles Greenway is a interesting idea to study.
Strange they didn't taught of re-studying the cancelled proposed I-175 who was planned to follow GA-300 corridor
http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/i175.html#175ga
I would rather see I-22 be extended from B'ham to Auburn, around Phenix City to I-185, then follow SR520 to Albany, and across to Waycross, then down to Jacksonville.
I agree about the tax dollars being spent on the EDS projects - the cost/benefit ratios on these GRIP corridors is embarrassing.
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I live is Sumter Co a county that boast pride in itself as home of the 39th President of these United States when he was Governor of Georgia his upset someone in the DOT they vowed that Sumter Co would be the last co to see US 19 4 lane they have just now finished it with only a hand full of men out there picking up scraps of construction debris IF they were to turn 520 into I 185 it would set Sumter co in the rocking chair we would be smack in the middle of I-75 and I-185 picture perfect would be US-280 to be 4 lane from Cordele to Richland you would have easy access to either interstate .I'm 43 years old I don't expect to live to ever see any of these projects start let alone finish but hey for the youth of this county something has got to be done to bring industry this way
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