Nearly $17 million announced for Georgia infrastructure projects, 3 in the metro area

WSBTV.com News Staff
·3 min read
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Almost $17 million will be given as loans and grants to fund five transportation infrastructure projects across Georgia.

Gov. Brian Kemp’s office announced the funding Thursday in conjunction with the State Road and Tollway Authority Board of Directors. Three of the projects are in the metro Atlanta area.

The funding itself will be awarded to the projects by the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank.

The governor’s office said the funding is the fourth latest loan amount allocated in the program’s history, all four of which have been while Kemp has served as governor.

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“Our state’s unprecedented economic growth is in part thanks to our reliable transportation infrastructure network that serves both hardworking Georgians and the job creators that employ them,” Kemp said in a statement. “In order to continue attracting talent and opportunity and maintain our status as the number one state to do business, we must responsibly fund our infrastructure needs. Thanks to this investment, even more communities will see improvements with a generational impact.”

Peach County will receive $6.6 million, split between a $5.6 million loan and a $1 million grant, according to officials. They said that was the largest award in GTIB’s history, “reflecting continued efforts to help prioritize investment in rural parts of the state.” The funding in Peach County will go toward the Lilly Creek Road project, meant to repave dirt roads to improve access to more than 1,000 acres of developable land.

The City of Watkinsville is getting $3.75 million for the Simonton Bridge Road Pedestrian Improvements project, which the state said was more than the city’s entire annual budget.

“For decades, residents along busy Simonton Bridge Road have requested a pedestrian connection to downtown Watkinsville,” said Watkinsville Mayor Brian Brodrick. “Given the challenging terrain, limited right of way and our small budget, Watkinsville simply could not make this happen without a very long timeline or outside support. GTIB funding will allow us to accelerate our plans while connecting a new 100-acre park to downtown. We are grateful to Governor Kemp and SRTA for their support.”

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Three more awards are coming to the metro Atlanta area, in Locust Grove, Sandy Springs and the Upper Westside of Atlanta.

According to the governor’s office, Locust Grove will get a $2 million loan and a $2 million grant to go toward the construction of a new two-lane road connecting Peeksville Road to Frances Ward Drive where it intersects with SR 42.

Sandy Springs will receive a loan of $850,000 and a grant of $650,000 for a realignment project on Boylston Drive between Hildebrand and Hammond Drive, as well as installing new sidewalks.

In the Upper Westside CID, $1 million will be awarded as a loan to fund converting a mile of westbound turn lane at Howell Mill and Chattahoochee Avenue to construct a multiuse path and streamline signal operations.

“We are excited that the investment we have made into transportation projects around this state will continue to grow. While we’ve invested $16.9 million throughout the state this year, there were $52 million in additional funds requested, the majority of which was in the form of loans. Thanks to the members of the Georgia General Assembly, starting in Fiscal Year 2025, GTIB’s annual funding allocation from the state legislature will increase from $13 million to $15.4 million,” said SRTA Executive Director, Jannine Miller. “This increase in funding will allow GTIB to help even more local governments throughout the state accelerate project delivery and reduce transportation infrastructure costs for Georgia taxpayers.”

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