Governor Perdue Launches Cook County I-75 Widening Project

Governor Perdue Launches Cook County I-75 Widening Project

State Invests $126 Million into Lane Widening Project in Cook County

LENOX, Ga. – Governor Sonny Perdue, Department of Transportation Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl and local leaders today broke ground on a $126 million widening of ten miles of Interstate Highway 75 in Cook County. The work is a part of Governor Perdue’s Fast Forward Program, a $15.5 billion initiative to expedite economic development and congestion mitigation transportation projects in Georgia. The Fast Forward Program is accelerating the widening of I-75 to six lanes throughout parts of south Georgia.

“Tourists visiting or passing through Cook County for its state park, annual festivals and interstate travel will have greater accessibility thanks to the widening of lanes along I-75,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “An added benefit is that improved interstate infrastructure improves the marketability of Cook County for new business recruitment, which will bring new jobs.”

“When Governor Perdue began the Fast Forward Program almost three years ago, he emphasized to us that Interstate 75 was a vital route on which our work should be expedited,” said Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl. “It is vital for commuters, for commercial truck traffic and for vacationers. And it is the principal artery for the continued economic growth and development of south Georgia. This project will help keep that I-75 lifeline flowing.”

The Cook County project, totaling $125,826,812, will widen I-75 to three lanes in each direction from south of West Mitchell Street at Adel to north of Kinard Bridge Road near Lenox. The project includes the reconstruction of four bridges and approaches. The Scruggs Company, Inc., of Hahira, will perform the work, which is scheduled to be completed in December 2009.

To date more than $600 million has been invested on the south Georgia I-75 work, adding more than 140 new lane miles. Earlier this month, Governor Perdue announced the state of Georgia has invested a record $2.25 billion in improvements to Georgia’s transportation infrastructure during FY06. This sum is nearly double the previous highest-expenditure year (FY05 total was $1.14 billion), and an increase of more than 108 percent over expenditures in FY02 when Governor Perdue first took office.

Less than two weeks ago, Governor Perdue and Commissioner Linnenkohl launched another $145 million I-75 widening in Crisp County. More work is planned for FY07.

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