I-185 Extension to Panama City

[aboutmetro]

This is a very viable suggestion. Many, many in GA would like to see such an Interstate extension happen. There's much discussion whether the extension should go to PC or to Tallahasse. (Express your vote here) Either way, an extension of this lonely Interstate Spur is talked about ALOT. The suggestion to re-brand the freeway I-81 by building the western segment of the Atlanta Outer Perimiter and connecting with I-81's current terminus in Tennessee would give Florida a freeway all the way to Canada. Read about it here...

[davidals]

I-75 and I-95: Florida has 2 freeways to Canada.

[bighardrivesrule]

There is already an interstate grade road planned from Montgomery to I-10 via Dothan. Florida has had on the drawing boards extending this on down to Panama City. So extending I-185 down following the AL GA border to Tallahassee makes more sense. Then take in on down the western coast of the penisula all the way to Tampa.

[csmurphy8885]

Through Tally sounds good. It would be a great hurricane evacuation route for alot of coastal folks a bit too far from I-10 and I-75 to quickly and effeciently get out of harms way. Not to mention the access to the state capital would be good for all cities connected.

[Florida]

This one definitely needs to go to Tallahassee (Metro 336,501). As one previously mentioned, the state of Alabama is already looking to extend a road south into the Panama City (Metro 163,505) area via Dothan, AL. Meanwhile there is no North-South Expressway serving Southwest GA, where there are thriving Agricultural, Food Processing, Lumber, and manufacturing industries. The location of this roadway into Florida's capital opens up Georgian access to the gulf of Mexico, and a much larger market of consumers more likely to trade if access to these Southern GA markets is opened up, not to mention allowing goods and services from the Capitol Region of Florida to travel north more smoothly, thereby enhancing the overall economic vitality of the entire region.

[aboutmetro]

The Georgia DOT is holding regional meetings in Southwest Georgia to determine necessity, feasibility and desire for 'access' to Interstates. This area along with Southeast Alabama was like the land that the Interstates forgot. I would think that, since the very definition of an Interstate involves more than one state, Alabama and Florida would be brought into the discussion... Anyway, here's a link to the dedicated website. There will be a stakeholders meeting (presentation link) in Columbus, GA on April 15th. Other area meetings have already occured. Southwest Georgia Interstate Study website.

The study area map:

[poonther]

Thanks for the map, link and info abtmetro! I'm glad to see that interstate coming THIS way. You are absolutely right, why aren't officials in Florida, especially North FL/Tallahassee coming to or being asked to come to the table on this proposal?

[plgt8]

Thanks for the map, link and info abtmetro! I'm glad to see that interstate coming THIS way. You are absolutely right, why aren't officials in Florida, especially North FL/Tallahassee coming to or being asked to come to the table on this proposal?

[aboutmetro]

I know everyone from Tally has voiced their desire for it to go to Tally. That's understandable, just as I, in Pensacola, continue to be frustrated we can't seem to get the ball rolling to connect I-110 north to I65 and are left with a 4 lane highway weaving thru several of 30mph small towns at the north end of the county + a jog across another highway + another jog to get to a 4 lane section of I-65....for 450,000 (MSA) people to be evacuated from hurricanes. Pretty crazy really.

With all that said, if we were only going to get 1 interstate spur to the panhandle of Florida in the next 40 years, somewhere between Crestview/Panama City would not be a bad compromise at all, IMO. It would give evacuating traffic from either direction some options to thin out a little and, let's be honest, people coming from the north are probably more interested in the beaches between P'cola and Tally than riding into our cities. But I do know we are all champs for our cities and we recognize that getting such a spur inevitably means growth. So what makes more sense to serve the greater area probably isn't gonna fly politically in the end. Oh well. Unfortunately, with it running to Tally from a place like Columbus, I can't think of any reason a person west of Jackson County would find a beneficial reason to ever be on it. Same problem if it were over near me. Probably serves more over time to be in the middle if it's our only chance in a long while.

[poonther]

plgt8 since posted your feelings about this in the Tallahassee I-185 thread also, I replied to you in detail there.

[aboutmetro]

The Southwest Georgia Interstate DOT group has finally added a comment form to its website.

[Glenn]

Although this has nothing to do with the I-185 proposal discussed in this thread, a similar announcement was made this week by the economic development group, "Florida's Great Northwest", proposing the construction of an Interstate Quality Toll Highway to be built from Montgomery to Panama City. See link below:

http://www.floridasgreatnorthwest.com/Pres...080505-toll.pdf

[aboutmetro]

New public meetings scheduled -

Public Involvement Meetings

At 5 p.m.

1. Monday, November 2, 2009

Southwest Georgia Technical College - Sewell Building D 15689 US Highway 19 North Thomasville, GA 31792

(From US 19 heading south, proceed on US 19 through intersection with US 84 Bypass. College is on the right.)

2. Monday, November 9, 2009

Albany State University – L. Orene Hall 504 College Drive Albany, GA 31705

(From US 82 (East Oglethorpe Blvd.), turn south onto College Drive. Continue on College Drive straight until it ends. Turn right into the parking lot, then left into the parking lot.

L. Orene Hall is the last building straight ahead.)

3. Thursday, November 12, 2009

Chattahoochee County Middle and High School - Cafeteria 360 Highway 26 Cusseta, GA 31805

(From Columbus, travel south on US 27/SR 520 and take a left on SR 26. Travel 2-3 miles; School is on the right. From Albany, travel north on SR 520; take a right on SR 26.

Travel 2-3 miles; School is on the right.)