Columbus Future Transportation Possibilities (Gordon: military, train, installation)

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by ATLCOL1

Columbus currently has an Interstate Spur, I-185, that joins I-85 south of Atlanta in Troup County, GA and terminates in Muscogee County at Fort Benning south of Columbus. There are four reasonable possibilities for Columbus to gain full Interstate access. Only I-14 has been officially proposed. The others have various interest groups promoting them.

I-14 (Deep-South Optimized Transportation System) - This new highway has been proposed in Congress and is undergoing a feasibility study. I-14 has officially been proposed to begin in Augusta, GA and end in Natchez, MS. However additional proposals promote beginning in South Carolina and ending in Texas.

I-185 Extension (Deep-South Optimized Transportation System) - an extension has long been discussed as a highway to Florida. Various interests seek to various termination points. This proposal seeks to extend I-81 from its current termination in Knoxville, TN to a termination point at the Florida gulf coast around Panama City, FL.

I-22 Extension (Deep-South Optimized Transportation System) - a new interstate from Memphis, TN currently terminates north of Birmingham, AL. Business groups seek to extend the highway east to Georgia's sea ports at Brunswick, GA, and possibly a second phase to extend the highway to the midwest, possibly at Kansas City.

I-16 Extension (Deep-South Optimized Transportation System) - The forgotten Interstate. Currently beginning at Savannah, GA and ending at Macon, GA. This interstate has potential to improve west/midwest access to international sea ports at Savannah. As of now, there are no known formal interest groups seeking extension of this highway, though this blog suggests extension to Lubbock, TX.

Benning Bypass (Deep-South Optimized Transportation System) - aka I-222, obviously wouldn't be an I-22 perimeter if I-22 weren't extended through Columbus, but the 222 does have a nice ring to it. If its I-214, or 216 or whatever, is there a need for a bypass highway around Fort Benning. With Benning's limited access since 9/11, there is even less access for Chattachoochee and Marion County for absorbing Columbus' suburban growth, as arguments go. Instead, all growth goes in a sort of lop-sided pattern both north and west and is therefore pushing reasonable commute-time limits. Southern and eastern Interstate highway access might allow the growth to be more readily apportioned in a uniform ring around Columbus. Conversely, some urban planners argue that Interstates, much less perimeters, are the bane of urban revitalization by encouraging suburbs.

A new group in Albany, along with its chamber of commerce is promoting extending I-185 to Tallahassee.

This is some food for thought. It sounds amazing if this can happen. Exciting stuff!

Anyone have any updated information on the results of these ideas?

[columbusmetro89]

Originally Posted by Will Dockery

Anyone have any updated information on the results of these ideas?

No I have not heard of anything but if anybody else has they can post the updates. But im wondering if I185 interstate can even be expanded further south with fort benning right there. I do however see the proposed I14 interstate happening in the near future that will go threw north columbus and over to macon and augusta but this could be 30 years or longer. I also hope the highspeed rail happens too for columbus because I would like to go to atlanta on a train not have to travel by car and be stuck in atlanta's clogged jammed freeways.

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by columbusmetro89

No I have not heard of anything but if anybody else has they can post the updates. But im wondering if I185 interstate can even be expanded further south with fort benning right there. I do however see the proposed I14 interstate happening in the near future that will go threw north columbus and over to macon and augusta but this could be 30 years or longer. I also hope the highspeed rail happens too for columbus because I would like to go to atlanta on a train not have to travel by car and be stuck in atlanta's clogged jammed freeways.

What a shame that "progress" killed that Silver Bullet train that used to go daily from Columbus to Atlanta, and even on to New York if you wanted, and all the way to the end of Florida in the other direction.

That was when the train station down on 6th Avenue next to the Swift Mill on one side and Golden Foundries on the other made that stretch one hopping little side of town. The Cardinal Hotel, Depot Billiards, a steak house I forget the name of, the International Club... soldiers coming in by train from all over the country, bound for Fort Benning, wayward souls of all kinds stepping off the train in into the "city".

All now nothing more than smoky ghosts, barely even caught on photographs, if at all.

[DWColumbus]

From what I understand the I-14 part is on the drawing board and is planned but with no dates planned. I heard they wanted to do an I-185 extension but sadly the idea got shot down. Columbus really needs interstate options going south, east or west out of the city. I understand we may not get all of those anytime soon, but it's something Columbus leadership should be pushing to make a reality, even if it isn't likely in the current political climate. An east west one would be nice to give drivers an option besides going through Atlanta traffic if they are going that direction through the region.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by DWColumbus

From what I understand the I-14 part is on the drawing board and is planned but with no dates planned. I heard they wanted to do an I-185 extension but sadly the idea got shot down. Columbus really needs interstate options going south, east or west out of the city. I understand we may not get all of those anytime soon, but it's something Columbus leadership should be pushing to make a reality, even if it isn't likely in the current political climate. An east west one would be nice to give drivers an option besides going through Atlanta traffic if they are going that direction through the region.

Completely agree with that. I-14 would do wonders for Georgia.

[john7448]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

Completely agree with that. I-14 would do wonders for Georgia.

No one wants to travel to Columbus because it is a decaying sh@thole.

[columbusmetro89]

Ladies and gentlemen we are going to have to tone this john7448 guy out. He obviously doesn't know what he's talking about.

[DWColumbus]

Originally Posted by columbusmetro89

Ladies and gentlemen we are going to have to tone this john7448 guy out. He obviously doesn't know what he's talking about.

Agreed, when we get the occasional troll it's best to just ignore them.

[Columbuskidd92]

I think the city should focus on inner city transportation first! With that being said,come on city council,do your job! Downtown is meant to have light rail.

A rail between Downtown CSU campus to CSU main campus going along warm spring road wouldn't be bad either.

[DWColumbus]

Originally Posted by Columbuskidd92

I think the city should focus on inner city transportation first! With that being said,come on city council,do your job! Downtown is meant to have light rail.

A rail between Downtown CSU campus to CSU main campus going along warm spring road wouldn't be bad either.

I remember there were plans to do that at one point with what now is the rails to trails. It's why the Burger King on Warm Spring is train station themed.