Six transportation development projects in Chatham, Effingham, Bryan, and Glynn counties will benefit from some of the $1.5 billion now allotted from the previous year’s state budget.
“Georgia has been open after the pandemic, revenues have outpaced our expenses, and we save for a rainy day, and it’s allowed us to get into a place where we could make generational investments into our transportation network,” Brian Kemp, governor of Georgia, told reporters.
Here are the projects that will benefit our community:
- The Effingham Parkway south extension includes
- SR 307 at the US 80 intersection
- A rail crossing at SR 21, SR 21 widening
- I-16 widening, and upgrades to the SR 32/SR 99 corridor.
- You may find a complete list of projects here.
“Seeing what we’re dealing with, in the past couple of years, with 40-year high inflation and other pressures in the economy out there, my goal, and the General Assembly’s this session, was to make sure that we keep people working in the state in good paying jobs,” according to Kemp.
A total of $500 million will be invested in 18 projects aimed at improving freight transportation infrastructure. Some will be in the Port of Savannah.
“Think about moving commodities and services throughout our state, but particularly those that enter and exit the Savannah port. So, a lot of those freight logistics strategies that Commissioner McMurry and Director Janine Miller have been working on with the Dot board, this money will start funding those kind of initiatives and putting that plan into action,” Kemp said.
Kemp says some legislators are concerned that large projects, particularly those near the Hyundai plant, may divert funds from their own.
This $1.5 billion ensures there is enough for everyone, with $250 million set aside for communities to spend on infrastructure as they see fit.
“Just about everywhere I go, you’re seeing roads and bridges being worked on, but we got to do more,” Kemp told the crowd.