Southwest Georgia road and bridge projects awarded

TIFTON — A $3.3 million project awarded by the Georgia Department of Transportation is expected to have a big impact on the area.

The construction to widen a busy tw-lane section of U.S. 280 in Cordele from Interstate Highway 75 to Midway Road to four lanes is designed to enhance safety, reduce congestion and improve access to local industries and the Cordele Inland Port.

That project, awarded to Reeves Construction Co. of Macon and scheduled to be completed by Nov. 30, 2018, was one of 32 statewide transportation contracts Georgia DOT awarded in March.

Projects that GDOT officials say will benefit Southwest Georgia include 138 miles of resurfacing totaling $23 million and replacement of a structurally deficient bridge in Worth County.

The Evergreen Road bridge, which crosses the Ochlockonee River seven miles southeast of Bridgeboro, was built in 1955. The $1.5 million project is part of GDOT’s Low Impact Bridge Program that provides expedited delivery for the least complicated bridge replacement projects.

Construction will be accelerated because of the use of prefabricated elements. Work, which will be performed by Southern Concrete Construction Co. of Albany, is to be completed by Aug. 31, 2018.

Southwest Georgia resurfacing projects that have been awarded include:

— State Route 122 in Brooks County and SR 111 in Colquitt, Mitchell and Thomas counties;

— SR 234 in Calhoun County, SR 266 in Clay/Randolph counties, SR 309 in Decatur County and SR 45 in Early County;

— SR 45 in Miller County from north of SR 1 to the Early County line;

— SR 112 in Turner County from SR 107 to SR 90;

— SR 7 in Echols County from the Florida state line to north of the railroad and on SR 94 from east of Grand Bay Creek Bridge to east of Shae’s Lane;

— SR 11 in Echols County from north of SR 94 to the CSX Railroad crossing in Lanier County and on SR 112 in Wilcox County from SR 112 to the Pulaski County Line;

— SR 7 Business in Lowndes County from SR 7 to SR 7 and on SR 7 South from SR 7 Business to SR 7 Business.