GDOT programs million dollar contribution to Bethlehem Road

Proposed layout of new I-75 exit at Bethlehem Road
Proposed layout of new Bethlehem Road exit (Photo: GDOT)
Concept layout for Bethlehem Road interchange (Georgia DOT photo)

Georgia DOT has programmed their million dollar contribution towards scoping for the Bethlehem Road interchange after sharing their intent to do so in November. The funding is the state’s first financial contribution towards the future interstate exit.

According to the state’s website, the one million dollars is funded through house bill 170 proceeds and is budgeted in the current fiscal year. The funding was given state project ID 0017182.

Steps towards constructing the proposed interchange, likely to receive the designation “Exit 214” when built, started in 2015 with the completion of an interchange feasibility study. Second, an interchange justification report was completed in late 2017 and conditionally approved by the Federal Highway Administration in September 2018.

The project has been working off a “high-level” concept, pictured above, up to this point. The million dollars from GDOT will help to refine that concept into a preferred alignment. Later stages of preliminary engineering will also develop an environmental impact study that can be submitted to the federal government for review and final approval.

The project includes reconstructing Bethlehem Road on new location that ideally will be constructed with four lanes. New bridges over I-75 and Bethlehem Bottoms will also be required.

Realistically, opening the new exit alongside Georgia DOT’s commercial vehicle lanes in 2028 is an appropriate goal. Nine months (and counting) have been lost that could have been used to continue developing the project after commissioners tabled a contract for preliminary engineering in May 2019. In October, the board voted 3-3 on party lines to exclude the project from the county’s request for federal transportation funding.

About Clayton 1738 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of The Henry Reporter. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.

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