Effingham County’s path to ease congestion on its roads may lie outside its own borders, state lawmakers said this week.

State Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler), whose district straddles Effingham and west Chatham, said the proposed Effingham Parkway’s most important stretch isn’t even in Effingham.

“The portion that needs to be built is that portion in Chatham County,” he said.

The Effingham Parkway will run from Highway 119 between Springfield and Guyton to an intersection with Jimmy DeLoach Parkway near its connection with I-95. Port Wentworth has pledged its support to the parkway. Getting the rest of Effingham’s neighbors to go along with the plans remains to be worked out.

“Chatham County has a lot of needs. In my world, this is my biggest need,” Carter said of the Effingham Parkway. “Our challenge is to make sure we get (Chatham County) on board with this.”

Chatham Metropolitan Planning Organization officials are scheduled to meet with Effingham representatives this week.
Carter said the Benton Boulevard extension plans have been tied to the Effingham Parkway plans.

“When you have state and federal funds involved, it slows progress up,” Carter said. “That has helped move it along.”

State Rep. Jon Burns credited state transportation board member Raybon Anderson for helping bring the Georgia Ports Authority into talks on new roads and road funding.

A second port on the Jasper County, S.C., side of the Savannah River may be built, and it would give the area a chance to regain jobs lost through the decline of the textile industry, state Sen. Jack Hill said.

The port’s booming business has meant more trucks on Highway 21, already crowded with commuters from Effingham and West Chatham.

“We’re trying to make the traffic issue with the ports a state issue and not a local issue,” Hill said.

Said Burns: “The congestion is a real problem.”

So is funding for the state’s transportation needs. Former DOT Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl told Effingham County officials that the state only had so much money to spend on the Effingham Parkway and that right-of-way acquisition was up to the local governments.

“That’s a transportation funding problem in Georgia and we’ve got to address that,” Carter said.

He noted a study committee has held meetings across the state, and the idea of more toll roads in the state has been put forth.

“The Georgia Ports Authority is looking at that seriously,” Carter said.

The use of tolls could help speed the port’s push for a road network to unclog the routes in and out of the terminals along the Savannah River. It also could be a solution for Effingham Parkway.

“Everything is on the table,” Carter said. “In order to get it done, that may be something we have to do.”