A federal report details plans for a possible new interstate that would move traffic from Augusta through central Georgia and Alabama to Natchez, Miss.
Past stories:
The 14th Amendment Highway Corridor report, obtained by The Augusta Chronicle, was delivered to Congress on Feb. 3, according to Federal Highway Administration spokesman Doug Hecox. A timeline for further action is unknown.
The report says the new east-west interstate would be more than 600 miles, linking Augusta and Natchez with three other metro areas: Montgomery in Alabama, and Columbus and Macon in Georgia.
A 100-mile segment beginning near Macon would connect to Augusta either at Interstate 20 near exit 183 or at Interstate 520 near Fort Gordon. To connect to I-20, a new highway would be built versus following existing roads through Milledgeville, Sandersville and Wrens to connect with I-520.
No funding for the federal route has been identified. The Federal Highway Administration launched the study to meet a congressional mandate.
A similar report on the 3rd Infantry Division Highway linking Savannah, Augusta, western North Carolina and Knoxville, Tenn., is expected soon. Both interstate routes were first proposed in 2004 by U.S. Rep. Max Burns and other legislators.
In an e-mail statement, Rep. John Barrow said Tuesday he would work to make the reports a reality.
“These interstates would create new transportation routes that avoid the over-congested Atlanta roads, and will be an economic boon for Augusta,” Barrow said.
The 14th Amendment Highway study examined five cost options for a route from Augusta to Natchez. The options ranged from about $296 million to $7.7 billion.
“Although several major Interstate highways pass through the corridor, they are all generally oriented in a north-south direction,” the report states. “There is no single designated east-west Interstate or other major highway that directly connects all five cities.”
Don Grantham, the Georgia Department of Transportation board member for Congressional District 10, said a route between Augusta and Columbus has long been on the minds of Georgians.
“It would be a tremendous asset for moving traffic east to west,” Grantham said.
Moving the proposal from a plan on paper to reality could be long off. Grantham said GDOT just learned of the study Tuesday, and while supportive, had no plans for action.
“I don’t see why our board or our governor’s office would object to it,” he said.
Paul DeCamp, the planning manager for Augusta-Richmond County, served on an expert committee that suggested alternate routes during the study. Economic development was a driving force behind the proposal, as was connecting military bases in Augusta, Warner Robins and Columbus.
“That was a key point in connecting all three communities; making the connections convenient or near each of those military facilities,” DeCamp said.
Associated Press reports contributed to this story.
Yeah, okay, but we STILL need I-3, the North-South Interstate from Savannah through Augusta to Knoxville!!
@Dixieman: I agree! I'd like to see I-3 built before I-14 (but both would be great for Augusta's growth).
Charlie Norwood had I-3 all set to go if y'all remember. Paul Broun said we didn't want it. He blocked the highway..
Let me ask you two questions. How many times in the past year have you really wanted to go to Montgomery?
How many times in the past year have you really wanted to go to Natchez?
Although interstate are mainly for moving goods and people. The Military is the main purpose of interstate for rapid deployment and evacuation routes for disasters. Connecting Augusta with Natchez is also could connect Charleston to the Mississippi River with out many exchanges.
Places that are at the intersection of major transportation routes grow and thrive. That is why, despite being on I-20, Augusta has not. We need the intersecting roads discussed here!
Where are Willie, Waylon, Kris, and Johnny when we really need them !!!
Dixieman.. I think it depends on what metro you're comparing Augusta against.. If you look at the latest Business Journals estimates.. Then metro Augusta will gain more people than the CSA's of Columbus, Savannah, and Macon.. The MSA will gain more people than metro Knoxville, Madison, Chattanooga, Syracuse, Grand Rapids, Hartford, Milwaukee, etc.. Metro Augusta will grow alot faster during 2010-2020 compared to the previous decade...
http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/on-numbers/scott-thomas/2012/01/p...
I can't think of many mid-size metros with Bridgestone, NSA, multi-use facility, Village at Riverwatch, Plant Vogtle, Rockwood, Marshall Square, new Walmart, 25 acre shopping center/10k sq. ft. Shoppes at Dyess Park, etc..
Don't forget the recession slowed down alot of development.. I'm sure the Carmax area(Wheeler Town Park) will begin to attract some of the retailers it had before(Gander Mountain, Northern Toole, etc)
I-3 would have been much more beneficial for Augusta as it linked up with I-20. This pie in the sky road will be nice, but no one reading this will see it in any case.
I think I-3 would be nice too...but you know a lot of N Ga folks don't want it...they say it would ruin their small country way of life...it would go right through some small towns.
RM...whatta ya mean no one reading this will see the highway.....are we dying off in the next few years?
If N Georgia doesnt want I3 then build it up the SC side of the border, plenty of uncongested land. An interstate from Savannah thru Augusta to the I85 mega corridor would cause an investment explosion in Augusta. I85 between Atlanta and Charlotte is THE growth area of the next 50 yrs in this region.
SeenIt, hahaha...hopefully not, but the "Airplane" thing is always a factor I consider.
I'd much rather my tax dollars go towards an Interstate highway that I might use rather than a TEE Center that I"ll NEVER use....
CMan....what event/show/ could the tee center have that would interest you?...btw I feel the same as you do.
Either way both interstates would be the best thing to come out of Augusta since James Brown and Lady Antebellum...
I doubt I-3 will be able to cross through the mountains in North Georgia.. I think a more realistic approach would be either Clinton or Greenville South Carolina...
The I-520(widening, new bridges, etc) project finally begins in South Augusta tomorrow..
It will take a lot of years before this will happen. First, the politicians on the inside will have to buy up the land so they can sell it to the state.
Who in the world would want to go to Mississippi?
I kid of course. I was there last year. Went to Tupelo and saw the little box of a house that Elvis was born in. Also went to the gulf coast. Mighty nice!
Why we don't already have a direct route to Savannah is beyond me. This has always seemed like the missing link in Georgia transportation. A well laid out state should always connect it's major cities. Augusta is in such a great geographical location, but it always feels like "one way in, one way out." I personally would take more trips to the beach and I am sure more people from Savannah would thus pass through Augusta going north instead of through Columbia. Win-win.
I love the idea, I for one travel that way often and I hate having to go up through Atlanta and cutting across. The interstate will save time and keep me off back roads when traveling to Columbus to see family and I agree that having it will bring people and revenue through the area.
I-3 would have been fantastic and have put us in the middle of the Knoxville to Savannah traffic. But Paul Broun squashed it to appease the North Georgia interests. SC has already said they don't have a need for an interstate through their country side on the alternate route and won't fund it through their state. Thus, nothing will happen.
I think that I shall live to see
A road through town known as I-3
And if I am especially blessed
It will link with I-14 and all the rest.
Dixieman, if you do the highway signs will be in Spanish.
I bet Dr Azziz is in on this one too. How else could we handle all the traffic of students, patients and researchers coming to study and do research at the newly merged ASU/GHSU/MCG enterprise! ;0)
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