NEWS - Ports & Transportation

SBJ Staff Report

Jan 3, 2012 - The Georgia Department of Transportation concluded its calendar year 2011 construction program with the approval last week of more than $35 million in statewide road and bridge improvement contracts, including a key enhancement for Interstate Highway 75 on Atlanta’s Southside.  Two small projects in Chatham and Bulloch counties were funded.

In Chatham County, an intersection improvement project on SR 26 at the I-95/SR405 Southbound ramp was funded, set to be completed by Aug. 31, 2012.  The low bidder was J. Haynie & Associates, Inc. of Lake City, GA. The award was for $ 156,014.

And in Bulloch County, a 1.6 mile milling and plant mix resurfacing project on SR 73, beginning at Tillman Street (CS797) and extending to US 80/SR26, was funded for $466,000.  The low bidder was Reeves Construction Company of Macon.  Work is set to be completed by Nov. 30, 2012.  B/E Electrical Contractors, Inc. will subcontract on electrical work, and Middle Georgia Signs will subcontract signage.

The 13 awards last week bring Georgia DOT totals for 2011 to 262 new projects begun - valued in excess of $925 million. The Department also funded more than $61 million in local work for Georgia cities and counties. 

“All across Georgia this past year, the Department of Transportation completed, continued and began important safety and mobility projects like this upcoming I-75 work,” Commissioner Keith Golden commented.  “In addition to improving our state’s transportation infrastructure, we invested a billion dollars in our economy and provided jobs for thousands of our citizens.  It was a good year’s work.”

The largest project funded was for an I-75 project in Atlanta is for the design and construction of a 1.2-mile, northbound auxiliary lane between Eagles Landing Parkway/Hudson Bridge Road and Interstate Highway 675 in Henry County.  The work, which will include reconstructing the Walt Stephens Road overpass above I-75, will match a southbound auxiliary lane added in 2009 and result in four lanes available in each direction through this crowded corridor.  E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc., of Snellville, will perform the work for $7.5 million.  It is scheduled for completion in December, 2013.       

 Other projects of the total of 13 funded last week include:

- The widening of  approximately two miles of State Route (SR) 20 near Bells Ferry Road in Bartow County – to C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc., of Marietta, for $7.7 million;

- Resurfacing 13 miles of SR 38 in Lowndes County – to Reames and Son Construction Company, Inc., of Valdosta, for $5.3 million;

- Resurfacing 13 miles of SR 45 Alternate in Calhoun and Clay counties – to Oxford Construction Company, of Albany, for $3.4 million; and

- Resurfacing 21.5 miles of SR 17 in Jenkins and Screven counties – to Littlefield Construction Company, of Waycross, for $2.3 million.