19-year-old proposes adding a major interstate in Columbus. Councilors support the idea. (Atlanta: construction, university)

[Fountain-of-youth]

I-14 might be dead for now,but at least we have US 80,US 27 and US 280. Those three major highways has landed the city a lot of jobs.

[TheYoungProfessional]

Originally Posted by Fountain-of-youth

Have you seen the original plans for i-85? It would have went from 14th Street to 4th Ave and then on to Manchester Expressway.

I've never seen the original plans, but that does seem like an odd route IMO.

[DWColumbus]

Originally Posted by Fountain-of-youth

I-185 should have been expanded to talleshaase in the 90s

Agreed on that, I think there is a need for an interstate going south and east/west out of Columbus. It would make travel through Georgia much easier by providing alternate routes that don't route through Atlanta and it's traffic. It also would help alleviate some of the traffic from 75 and in Atlanta by providing different routes through the state. I'd also like to see a direct limited access route going from Columbus to Auburn and Opelika. At least all that is my dream lol. I'd say the focus at first should be on an east/west route. For Columbus, It would give us a more direct route out west and over to I-75.

[Fountain-of-youth]

Originally Posted by TheYoungProfessional

I've never seen the original plans, but that does seem like an odd route IMO.

There's an old interstate map online that shows everything. I-185 was originally supposed stop to in Savannah.

[TheYoungProfessional]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

Columbus has done well without a major interstate but would boom if we really had one coming through here.

Absolutely! That's the missing link around the area! I hope another proposal comes up for the extension of I-185. GA 520/US 27 is already limited access through Ft.Benning down to Cusseta; wouldnt take much at all to upgrade that portion to interstate quality. Albany city leaders were pushing this idea about 10 years ago, I wionder what could happen with multiple cities pushing for it collectively (Columbus, Albany, Tallahassee). All 3 could greatly benefit from this if it were to develop.

[DWColumbus]

Originally Posted by Fountain-of-youth

Have you seen the original plans for i-85? It would have went from 14th Street to 4th Ave and then on to Manchester Expressway.

Do you have a link to the original plans? I think it would be interesting to see if there is one out there. I tried a quick google search and didn't find much.

[DWColumbus]

Originally Posted by TheYoungProfessional

Absolutely! That's the missing link around the area! I hope another proposal comes up for the extension of I-185. GA 520/US 27 is already limited access through Ft.Benning down to Cusseta; wouldnt take much at all to upgrade that portion to interstate quality. Albany city leaders were pushing this idea about 10 years ago, I wionder what could happen with multiple cities pushing for it collectively (Columbus, Albany, Tallahassee). All 3 could greatly benefit from this if it were to develop.

Multiple cities would definitely be a lot harder to ignore than 1 city. It always felt strange that 185 just ends at Ft. Benning.

I agree that it's the missing piece. It would definitely make it a lot easier to bring more business here.

Someone on here a while back made a comment that when they were looking to have 85 come through Columbus, business owners fought against it because they thought it would bring more companies and more wage competition to the area.

[TheYoungProfessional]

Originally Posted by DWColumbus

Multiple cities would definitely be a lot harder to ignore than 1 city. It always felt strange that 185 just ends at Ft. Benning.

I agree that it's the missing piece. It would definitely make it a lot easier to bring more business here.

Someone on here a while back made a comment that when they were looking to have 85 come through Columbus, business owners fought against it because they thought it would bring more companies and more wage competition to the area.

I was completely shocked when I first found out that the interstate just ended. It wasn't something I really looked at or paid attention to beforehand but it just seemed very odd at that time.

But definitely multiple cities could potentially pull this off opposed to going after it alone; All 3 of these primary areas have a significant amount to gain economically and all would all be able to put up a strong backing for it.

I like the east-west I-14 proposal as well, but the I-185 extension just seems more practical IMO. Plus, our southern counterparts (Albany, Tallahassee) would fight just as hard as they are somewhat "underserved" as it relates to interstate connectivity as well. Our eastern-western counterparts (Macon, Montgomery), lets just say they aren't hurting for interstate access both with 2 primary's and 1 secondary serving their respective areas.

[DWColumbus]

Why Columbus could not attract an Amazon distribution center | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

This is a perfect example of the affects of Columbus's lack of an interstate.

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by Fountain-of-youth

I-185 should have been expanded to Tallahassee in the 1990's.

Extending Interstate 185 to Tallahassee, Florida, remains a wise idea and a necessity.