Interstate-14

[aboutmetro]

The Fall Line Freeway, originally proposed to be a limited access freeway, but later 'downgraded' to a 'developmental highway' by Gov Barnes, is back at the top of the list of Georgia DOT projects. The Freeway became the probable route for a proposed I-14 from Augusta to Natchez, MS. DOT Commission Evans says it is a 'new top priority' for Georgia as her administration looks for projects with a 'return on investment'. Lagrange Daily News article here where she spoke at a chamber breakfast on Nov 18, 2008. The quote is

[aboutmetro]

The city of College Station TX has joined the Gulf Coast Strategic Highway System Coalition. The organization exists to promote the I-14 development in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. It's too bad there's not this kind of cooperation in Georgia and Alabama. KBTX article:

I_14_CollegeStTX.pdf

[Mellophonius]

Wouldn't building I-14 in Georgia be kind of redundant, considering the new Fall Line Freeway? Sure, it's an interstate and the FLF is just 4-lane at-grade hwy, but most of the rural parts of the FLF would be useless if an intertstate was built nearby.... it kind of makes the FLF a bit of a waste.

[aboutmetro]

Wouldn't building I-14 in Georgia be kind of redundant, considering the new Fall Line Freeway? Sure, it's an interstate and the FLF is just 4-lane at-grade hwy, but most of the rural parts of the FLF would be useless if an intertstate was built nearby.... it kind of makes the FLF a bit of a waste.

Well, the FLF is a misnomer. A 'Freeway' is by definition limited access. But yes, your assessment is correct. The FLH (highway) was intended and originally designed to be a limited access freeway. The I-14 plan is to use much of the highway as the base, adding the ramps, etc. The area through Columbus is a limited-access highway. And I believe the new stimulus link is to be a limited access. And to your point about 'wasting' existing 4-lane highway. Especially in rural suburban or locations just outside core cities, those 4-lanes in near proximity to I-14 would make excellent locations for industrial parks and economic development, which is one of the the points of an Interstate, to generate economic investment.

[Mellophonius]

Well, the FLF is a misnomer. A 'Freeway' is by definition limited access. But yes, your assessment is correct. The FLH (highway) was intended and originally designed to be a limited access freeway. The I-14 plan is to use much of the highway as the base, adding the ramps, etc. The area through Columbus is a limited-access highway. And I believe the new stimulus link is to be a limited access. And to your point about 'wasting' existing 4-lane highway. Especially in rural suburban or locations just outside core cities, those 4-lanes in near proximity to I-14 would make excellent locations for industrial parks and economic development, which is one of the the points of an Interstate, to generate economic investment.

Recent construction has shown that, interestingly, the Fall Line Freeway's intersection with US 441 at the Baldwin/Wilkinson County line is a freeway-style diamond interchange. Both are 4-lane divided highways. If the FLF is ever upgraded to Interstate 14, this portion could probably be used. I could definitely see a lot of the FLF being directly converted to the Interstate; with portions in Ivey, Macon, Fort Valley, Reynolds, and probably other places between there and Columbus being left as four-lane industrial roads.

Oddly enough, the FLF is not four-laned through the city of Wrens, despite its factsheet in the DOT site claiming it's completely finished from Sandersville to Augusta. From everything I've found, there are no plans for a Wrens bypass (which would be necessary to complete the FLF there). I wonder what the cause of this discrepancy is.

[george]

Recent construction has shown that, interestingly, the Fall Line Freeway's intersection with US 441 at the Baldwin/Wilkinson County line is a freeway-style diamond interchange. Both are 4-lane divided highways. If the FLF is ever upgraded to Interstate 14, this portion could probably be used. I could definitely see a lot of the FLF being directly converted to the Interstate; with portions in Ivey, Macon, Fort Valley, Reynolds, and probably other places between there and Columbus being left as four-lane industrial roads.

Oddly enough, the FLF is not four-laned through the city of Wrens, despite its factsheet in the DOT site claiming it's completely finished from Sandersville to Augusta. From everything I've found, there are no plans for a Wrens bypass (which would be necessary to complete the FLF there). I wonder what the cause of this discrepancy is.

It's been about 15 yrs or so,but I think U.S. 1 is four lanes from Wrens to Augusta.

[Mellophonius]

It's been about 15 yrs or so,but I think U.S. 1 is four lanes from Wrens to Augusta.

The future FLF (SR 88 then US 1) is four lanes on both sides of Wrens, but not within Wrens itself. It passes straight through the town, and the 3-lane portion (1 lane in each direction, plus a center turn lane) is about a mile long. Looking at a map, it is 3 lanes from SR 17/Thompson Road through the town to Quaker Road.