New interstate connecting Columbus, Macon one step closer to reality with this bill
A long-proposed interstate route connecting key military installations and three of Georgia’s largest cities inches closer to reality if Congress passes the new bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill.
An amendment to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act proposed by Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) for Interstate 14 passed the Senate Tuesday by a rare voice vote with no objections. A final vote on the infrastructure package is expected to come this weekend or early next week.
The amendment builds upon the original I-14 authorization and designates new sections of the proposed interstate, including the Georgia portion, as part of a high priority corridor.
The new interstate route would use a pattern of existing roads and highways. State and local officials would make the final determination about the exact interstate path.
The proposed interstate would run from west Texas through the middle portions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama before reaching the Georgia leg in Columbus. The route would continue through Macon before reaching its end in Augusta.
Why I-14 is important
Warnock said the interstate would spur job growth and innovation in the state by connecting emerging technology markets and military communities from Fort Benning near Columbus to Augusta’s Fort Gordon.
The route would also provide more economic development opportunities to rural communities along the planned route currently cut off from the interstate highway system, he added.
The issue was first brought up during a commerce committee meeting on the Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021. When Warnock and Cruz realized they couldn’t get it done in committee, the pair worked together on the amendment.
The amendment “clears a path” for the interstate, but it doesn’t tie any funding to the project, Warnock said.
“There’s no silver bullet that creates the kind of job growth we need in the state. It’s an important part of the puzzle, which is why I thought it was important for us to make this happen,” Warnock said during a call with reporters Wednesday. “When you think about some of the areas that this I-14 corridor will connect, these are areas that have all been forgotten and neglected. I’ve got to do everything I can to spur economic growth all across our state.”
Legislation to study the I-14 corridor was first signed into law in 2005. As of 2021, all communities along the route in Georgia and Alabama have given support for I-14, said Frank Lumpkin IV, a Columbus native and University of Georgia law student who serves as the President and Georgia representative for the Youth Infrastructure Coalition.
The nonprofit organization has promoted the creation of I-14 since 2017, and Lumpkin spent the last month in Washington D.C. advocating for the cause.
While the Senate’s bill is expected to be the final version, I-14 language also made its way into the House’s INVEST in America Act which was passed in July. This means the interstate proposal will reach President Joe Biden’s desk, one way or another, Lumpkin said.
It’s the culmination of years of work. Lumpkin recalled being asked to speak before the Columbus Council by then-Mayor Teresa Tomlinson about I-14 in 2017. He felt overwhelmed, but a mentor advised Lumpkin to “aim for the moon.”
“Four years ago, after giving my first speech before the Columbus Council seeking a resolution of support for I-14, I never would have imagined I would be using many of those same talking points to advocate for I-14 before U.S. Senators,” he told the Ledger-Enquirer. “Glad I aimed high, I-14 is the moon.”
Here’s what else Georgia could receive under the infrastructure bill
The White House released estimates on how much each state could receive over the next five years if the Senate’s infrastructure package is approved.
Other highlights for Georgia include:
$8.9 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs
$225 million for bridge replacement and repairs
$1.4 billion for improving public transportation options
$135 million for the expansion of an electric vehicle charging network
At least $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state.
This story was originally published August 5, 2021 at 10:58 AM.