Fall Line Freeway to being work again! (Atlanta, Columbus: 2009, construction)

[nortonguy]

Thanks to $30 million in federal stimulus funds, another segment of the Fall Line Freeway is under construction along the 215-mile highway stretching from Augusta to Columbus.

The ultimate completion of the road will be a relief to truckers who must either detour 60 to 70 miles into Atlanta traffic if they want to stay on major highways or add time to their trip on the narrow roads nicknamed the "woodpecker trail," said Tom Mills, the president of Augusta-based Sanders Truck Transport.

"Until they do complete it, there's no reason to use it," he said. Every mile of the project from Macon to Columbus is either open or under construction, but 34 percent remains closed from Macon to Augusta.

The newest section to begin construction is seven miles of road and a pair of bridges in Wilkinson County between Old Macon Road and North Lakeview Road near Gordon.

Also under way is the addition of two lanes near Fort Valley and a segment near the Baldwin County line that started in May. Also, the Transportation Department recently began acquiring right of way along Georgia Highway 24 from Baldwin County to the Sandersville Bypass.

The eventual route could become the path for Interstate 14, envisioned to run from Augusta to Louisiana. Congress has set aside money for the state to use in planning the federal highway, but the state must find the resources to match it.

New work under way on Fall Line Freeway

[harrat]

Augusta, Macon, and Savannah all have the chance to be major transportation hubs. If interstate 3 and interstate 14 become reality. The cities would have 3 interstates a piece and interstate spur, like I-520 in Augusta.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by harrat

Augusta, Macon, and Savannah all have the chance to be major transportation hubs. If interstate 3 and interstate 14 become reality. The cities would have 3 interstates a piece and interstate spur, like I-520 in Augusta.

Let's add to the wish list an extension of Interstate 185 from LaGrange north to Chattanooga and south from Columbus to Panama City. This has been proposed to be renamed as an extension of Interstate 81 which currently has its southern terminus in Knoxville. It would overlay I-75 from Knoxville to Chattanooga. This along with I-3 would offer two north/south routes that would bypass the funnel of Atlanta.

[GABOY84]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Let's add to the wish list an extension of Interstate 185 from LaGrange north to Chattanooga and south from Columbus to Panama City. This has been proposed to be renamed as an extension of Interstate 81 which currently has its southern terminus in Knoxville. It would overlay I-75 from Knoxville to Chattanooga. This along with I-3 would offer two north/south routes that would bypass the funnel of Atlanta.

I agree, that would take a lot of pressure off of I-75 toward Atlanta.

[slowhand2009]

Originally Posted by GABOY84

I agree, that would take a lot of pressure off of I-75 toward Atlanta.

They have been talking about the Columbus/Panama City connection since the late 60's and it took nearly 40 years for Alabama to come up with enough money to improve 431.
Sorry folks it will never happen.

[GABOY84]

Originally Posted by slowhand2009

They have been talking about the Columbus/Panama City connection since the late 60's and it took nearly 40 years for Alabama to come up with enough money to improve 431.
Sorry folks it will never happen.

I have heard of I-185 being extended down to Tallahassee. There is a study being conducted right now I believe.

[lilmusket]

Originally Posted by GABOY84

I have heard of I-185 being extended down to Tallahassee. There is a study being conducted right now I believe.

Yes, there have been numerous studies and this has been talked about since the late 60s early 70s. The Fall Line Freeway was proposed in the mid 1980s, though there were talks about such a highway much earlier. And still in 2009 it is still not complete.. and no where close to being what most ppl would consider a freeway. The big problem remains in Macon, how to route the road around the Etowah indian mounds.. that issue has still not been resolved.

[slowhand2009]

Originally Posted by GABOY84

I have heard of I-185 being extended down to Tallahassee. There is a study being conducted right now I believe.

Where have you been?
They couldn't even afford a study right now much less build the road...lol
Old news and wishful thinking.

[GABOY84]

Originally Posted by slowhand2009

Where have you been?
They couldn't even afford a study right now much less build the road...lol
Old news and wishful thinking.

That's not what I have heard..... might want to read this below LOL.

http://www.swgainterstate.com/

[danmandr]

Originally Posted by GABOY84

That's not what I have heard..... might want to read this below LOL.

Welcome to the Southwest Georgia Interstate Study

Neat info. Thanks!