From the Moultrie Observer
During the talks about the planned four-laning of Georgia Highway 133 from Valdosta through Moultrie to Albany, much has been said about the cost of the project. Less has been said about the economic impact such a thoroughfare would have on communities along the route.
And so, the Archway Project of Moultrie and Colquitt County plans to ask The University of Georgia to make such an economic impact study. It will cost about $14,000. The five counties that Highway 133 touches within this project will be asked to split the costs of the study.
“I think it will make a big difference when we meet and talk about this project to be able to show the economic benefits,” said Louie Perry, a member of the Archway executive committee.
Committee member Brooks Sheldon agreed, noting that it might also help to have UGA represented at some of the Highway 133 meetings after the study is done.
The cost impact study would encompass 65 miles of road. Not only would the four-lane connect Valdosta, Moultrie and Albany, but it would intersect other major thoroughfares such as a four-laned U.S. 319 as well a four-lane connecting to Columbus. Deemed as significant in the big picture is that three military bases (Fort Benning at Columbus, Moody Air Force Base, Hahira, and the Marine Supply Depot, Albany) would be connected with four-lanes.
Committee member Jimmy Jeter said while it might make more sense locally to immediately concentrate on a segment between Moultrie and Valdosta, he said he felt connecting the military installations would likely make looking at the entire route the most viable approach.
Perry said there’s little chance state money will go to this project any time soon.
“It will have to be federal money,” he said.
The latest federal stimulus plan from the Obama administration has roads projects included. However, the time element would most likely not include the Highway 133 project. That money would go to projects that are “shovel ready.”
Jeter said having the University of Georgia doing the economic impact study would give such a study more credibility as opposed to local entities coming up with estimates.
It is suggested that the study look at the impact on individual counties (Worth, Dougherty, Colquitt, Brooks and Lowndes). As well, it would look at the five counties combined as well as Congressional Districts 1, 2 and 8.
The economic impact numbers would be broken down into direct revenues, indirect revenues, induced economic returns (new spending created by the new income produced by the project), employment increases as well as additional government tax revenues.
At the moment, the estimated cost of the four-laning is put at $340 million. That number could escalate significantly over a nine-year completion of phases. It was initially posed that the section between Moultrie and Albany would get the first attention.
However, the entire project is way down on the DOT’s priority list.
