Special to the Herald
SPRINGFIELD – Effingham County stands to benefit greatly from recent actions taken by Gov. Brian Kemp and the General Assembly.
On July 18, Kemp announced a comprehensive $1.5 billion investment plan to enhance Georgia’s infrastructure. The budgetary move, initially revealed during the 2024 legislative session, was made in preparation for substantial economic and population growth.
The package includes a $13 million allocation for Ga. Hwy 21 from in Port Wentworth to Ninth Street in Rincon. The allotment includes $6 million for design preliminary engineering and $7 million for right-of-way acquisition.
“Over the last few years, we've welcomed unprecedented job creation to all regions of the Peach State, and this funding will ensure our already reliable infrastructure network can meet the needs of that incredible growth, Gov. Kemp said in a press release. “I want to thank the Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, and members of the General Assembly for their support of this generational investment as we work together to keep Georgia the best state for opportunity. In the months and years ahead, hardworking Georgians will see further improvements to the roads and bridges they drive each day."
This is a significant step for a project that the Effingham County Board of Commissioners and the local legislative delegation have eyed for several years. The call for the widening from four lanes received a critical boost when it was included in a 2023 Coastal Empire Transportation Study commissioned by Georgia Department of Transportation.
The study was an initiative to assess the roadway network in Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham and Effingham counties. The growing area is crucial to the Georgia economy as it is a hub of industrial development and includes the Port of Savannah.
“Improvements along the SR 21 corridor have remained a priority for Effingham County,” District 5 Commissioner Phil Kieffer said. “We appreciate our continued partnership with GDOT on keeping these important projects at the forefront.”
The Ga. Hwy 21 widening is projected to cost $68 million.
The package also includes funds for four-laning Effingham Parkway South (Benton Boulevard), which stretches from Ga. Hwy 30 to Jimmy DeLoach Parkway. Seven hundred fifty thousand dollars were set aside for design and $13 million for right-of-way acquisition.
In addition, the governor pegged approximately $280 million for widening I-16 in Bryan, Chatham, and Effingham counties, including $227 million for construction.
