The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners recently committed  $5 million over the next four years to support half of the cost of the Interstate 85 corridor study. This money will come from the 2017 SPLOST. The Georgia Department of Transportation will fund the other half of the study which will examine I-85 from I-285 to I-985.  The study will focus on potential capacity and safety improvements along the congested corridor.

The CID understands the importance of movement, particularly freight passage, through the busy I-85 corridor.  One of the strengths of our area is in the number of good jobs we have, many of which are in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, Along with this comes the need to handle a lot of truck traffic. We are doing well now but as the Savannah Port is deepened and growth continues to happen, we want to be a place of choice for the future, as well.  That’s why we’ve committed to a dedicated Freight Study which covers much of our area including I-85 and I-285.

Partnering with the Atlanta Regional Commission and Gwinnett County, we will soon be kicking off a study focused on the freight intensive quadrant of our district.  This will allow us to advance projects for funding to improve mobility for all.  It also includes looking at bold transit options reflected in our Transit Plan so workers will have mobility options to get to their jobs.

Look for more details about the Freight Study later this year.