Transportation Stimulus for Georgia

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Georgia will receive $932 Million for highway transportation and $144 Million for public transit. FHWA and FTA are actively providing guidance to Georgia DOT and transit systems on stimulus federal requirements. The State Transportation Board will announce the priority project categories (i.e. maintenance, safety, new capacity, etc.) and the "shovel-ready" projects across the state that will be constructed with stimulus funding provided directly to Georgia DOT.

Thirty percent (30%) of Georgia

[aboutmetro]

Georgia will receive $932 Million for highway transportation and $144 Million for public transit. FHWA and FTA are actively providing guidance to Georgia DOT and transit systems on stimulus federal requirements. The State Transportation Board will announce the priority project categories (i.e. maintenance, safety, new capacity, etc.) and the "shovel-ready" projects across the state that will be constructed with stimulus funding provided directly to Georgia DOT.

Thirty percent (30%) of Georgia

[aboutmetro]

Troup/Lagrange just announced its Stimulus planning. They were one of the few areas that aren't in MPO's that got a list in to GDOT. It's impressive that Troup and Lagrange worked together even though they didn't have to, but why Hogansville and West Point (home to one of the state's biggest economic development and several thousand new jobs in the next two years) were left out is a mystery.

It's time for the county and the cities to work more closely on all sorts of planning, but especially transportation. In fact, with Kia and BRAC happening as discussed in another article, maybe Troup should be working with Muscogee and even maybe Lee County in AL. There's going to be alot of commuting between these areas... maybe even a light rail...?

The list includes $25.3 million for the 6.1-mile South Loop project between Roanoke Road and Whitesville Road. The other 18 projects on the list are:

— $2,632,000 for phase two of the LaGrange bypass from New Franklin Road to Mooty Bridge Road.

— $1.25 million for a traffic signal and other upgrades at the intersection of South Davis Road and Upper Big Springs Road. County Commission Chairman Ricky Wolfe has been trying to get that work done for years.

“It took a total meltdown of the U.S. economy to get a light,” Wolfe said Friday at a commissioners’ work session.

— $306,000 for a two-foot widening of Gabbettville Road from Kia Boulevard to U.S. 29.

The other local requests are for 52.4 miles of resurfacing on South State Line, Upper Glass Bridge, West Point, Upper Big Springs, Stovall, Shoemaker, Hammett, Rock Mills, Pyne, Waugh, Ware’s Cross, Lower Glass Bridge, Hines and Willowood roads. More resurfacing will be done through the county’s special-purpose local-option sales tax and the state’s Local Assistance Resurfacing Program.

Link to Lagrange News article.

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This link is to a list of planning organizations in Georgia.

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Link to ARRA funded project lists on GDOT website. From what I hear, DOT did a terrible job getting the word out to all of the various jurisdictions for them to get in their lists. All communications went to Elected officials which in many counties are part-time positions and sometimes only getting written communications once a month.

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Columbus' whitewater rafting project is hoping to apply for ARRA money from NOAA. They're hoping to get between $10 and 20 million. Proponents would say it would generate between $7 and $10 in revenue annually. It's anticipated that the revenue projection is very conservative because of the other attractions, restaurants and bars in Columbus that will give rafters other entertainment options that they don't get in rural and remote locations.The project will also restore environmental habitats forrare and endangered species and promote fish migration. It is expected to benefit shoal bass, shoal spider lilies and mussels.

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The full Ledger-Enquirer article is attached:

ChattWWRafting.pdf

ChattWWRafting.pdf