Cuthbert lawmaker proposes major highway expansions for southwest Georgia
Staff Photo: Alan Mauldin
By Alan Mauldin
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ALBANY — Online business was booming before COVID-19 sent people home to work, and often do their shopping, but those products still have to be moved by 20th-century internal combustion vehicles on roadways.
To improve southwest Georgia’s roadways and boost business in the region, state Rep. Gerald Greene is looking to improve two major traffic corridors.
One initiative would extend Interstate 185, which ends near Columbus, as an interstate highway to the Florida line along the route of U.S. Highway 27. That route currently is a four-lane highway the length of the route Greene has proposed.
The second would expand Georgia Highway 300, which links Albany to I-75 and is known locally as Cordele Road, to four or more lanes using interstate highway standards to Florida.
The House Transportation Committee has passed a resolution introduced by the Cuthbert Republican requesting the state Department of Transportation to consider the potential costs and benefits of the two projects.
The resolution has the support of a number of area lawmakers, Greene said during a telephone interview. He also has discussed the proposal with local elected officials, including Albany Mayor Bo Dorough and City Commissioner Chad Warbington, and Dougherty County Commissioner Clinton Johnson, who also is a member of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission.
Greene represents a portion of Dougherty County, but the new District 154 created during recent redistricting based on population gives him a larger portion of the county and also places him in the same district with another incumbent, Democrat Winfred Dukes of Albany.
“It’s urging our DOT to do something with those two corridors,” Greene said. “Alabama is just eating us up with their (road) building up. Florida is interested in us doing some connecting, and I am too.”
For Greene, the projects would be a way to rev up the economies of rural communities along the two highways, promoting large industry as well as small businesses.
“I think it would be amazing for economic growth in our area,” he said. “We have got to stop the (population) flight from Albany. I think if we do that, we can accomplish some things that will bring people back to our downtown areas to live.”
The way the legislator sees it, if there are more jobs, then more people will want to remain in their hometowns to work and will also invest in housing. The proposed expansion also would have a big impact on east Albany, which often feels neglected when it comes to development.
“I want to make sure Albany has growth, not just low-income housing that the government does,” he said. “Until we do this, we can’t do anything, we’re going to continue to have high crime in Albany. They (local officials) are all saying it’s a thing that needs to happen.”
Transportation is a major consideration for companies looking to expand or locate, so the improved highways would be an incentive for them to look closer at the region.
“People are not going to come,” Greene said. “Everything moves by truck. They want more lanes and more connectivity.
“We are sincere about this; we are serious about this, and we’ve just got to create something that will be a benefit to our citizens.”
Johnson, the Dougherty County commissioner and EDC member, said he is definitely on board and that the EDC has discussed the proposal.
The enhanced highways also would give better connectivity between military bases, including Fort Benning in Columbus and Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany, as well as other military installations in the region, he said.
“It’s something we believe is going to increase our ability to attract more business,” he said. “We think that would be good for trucking. The north Florida area is growing. We need to benefit from that.”
Cordele Highway is a heavily industrialized area, including such major companies as the Molson Coors Brewery.
“I can see warehouses popping up on that route,” the commissioner said. “I can see refrigeration. All of these things, I think, can work together. Outdoor Network, I think it will strengthen their transportation network.
“Webstaurant is doing great there. We’ll attract more businesses like that, more great businesses like Wesbstaurant. I applaud him (Greene).”
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