NE Ga's first road stimulus project starts July 20

BATESVILLE – Georgia Department of Transportation officials said Monday that construction is scheduled to begin July 20 on the first highway project funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in Northeast Georgia.

Georgia DOT officials said State Route 356 will be resurfaced and its shoulders will be widened by 2 feet in the 10.83 mile portion from the intersection with SR 17/75 in Batesville to SR 197 in Unicoi. Work will occur weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m..

The estimated construction cost is $1.7 million. C W Matthews Contracting, Inc of Marietta is the contractor.

An additional $9.6 million in 9 additional Northeast Georgia stimulus projects have been granted their “notice to proceed” and construction will begin this summer. They are as follows:

Resurfacing of 12.03 miles of SR 164 from SR 51 to SR 59 in Banks County

Resurfacing of 6.8 miles of SR 53 from the Pickens County Line to SR 183 in Dawson County Resurfacing of 9.8 miles of SR 9 from the Fulton County Line to SR 20 in Forsyth County

Resurfacing of 9.9 miles of SR 51 from SR 59 to Hale Crossing Road in Franklin County

Resurfacing of 4.2 miles of SR 384 from SR 365 to the Chattahoochee River in Habersham County

Resurfacing of 9.3 miles of SR 283 from SR 60 to SR 52 in Hall County

Resurfacing of US 129/SR11 from SR 323 to Monroe Drive in Hall County

Resurfacing of SR 98 from US 29/SR 8 to SR 72 in Madison County

Resurfacing of SR 75 from SR 2 to the North Carolina State Line in Towns County

Georgia DOT is responsible for 70 percent of Georgia’s $932 million in highway system ARRA funds. The remaining 30 percent is divided among the state’s 15 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and designated rural areas. The MPOs, in conjunction with the Department, are funding projects from these respective allocations. The state also received $144 million in stimulus funds for public transit and Georgia DOT has awarded related local grants totaling approximately $39 million. Georgia is eligible for additional highway, rail and aviation grants from funds totaling $12.1 billion.