Henry County sought federal funding in March 2024 for various road projects. The results of that TIP solicitation application are now available to kick-off 2025. The county will receive funds towards three projects. The city of Hampton also applied for and will receive funds.
The following projects are slated to receive funding, pending final adoption by the Atlanta Regional Commission board:
- Jonesboro Road resurfacing, between I-75 and McDonough,
- State Route 42 widening, between SR 155 and Locust Grove (scoping funding),
- Camp Creek Greenway Trail, from Henry County Admin Building to McDonough Square (engineering / design funding), and
- West King Connector Overpass, a pedestrian bridge over SR 20 in Hampton.
Two other county applications, Oak Grove Road widening and Eagles Landing Parkway resurfacing, were not selected to receive funds.
About the TIP Solicitation
The Atlanta Regional Commission, acting in their capacity as the Atlanta Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), oversees the award of federal transportation dollars. Every two to three years, they host an open call for project applications. During this window, local governments may apply for funding. ARC last held an application window in spring 2024. Henry County submitted five projects for consideration. They were the following:
- SR 42 widening, from SR 155 to Locust Grove, preliminary engineering
Joint project with Locust Grove - Oak Grove Road widening, from Jodeco Road to Jonesboro Road, preliminary engineering
- Eagles Landing Parkway / Hudson Bridge / East Lake resurfacing, from Jodeco Road to SR 155
Joint project with Stockbridge - Jonesboro Road resurfacing, from I-75 to Doris Street
Joint project with McDonough - Camp Creek Greenway / Trail, preliminary engineering
Joint project with McDonough
TIP Solicitation 2024 Results
On December 30, the ARC released the 2024 TIP Solicitation Results. They have selected three Henry County projects. Specifically, ARC is recommending the following funding:
The Jonesboro Road resurfacing project extends from I-75 to Rosebud Lane. This will resurface the four-lane section from the interstate to the Doris Street roundabout. It is a joint project between Henry County and McDonough.
Some may wonder “what is scoping?” on the highway 42 project. Scoping is a term used by Georgia DOT for concept development. This consists of studying a corridor to identify the preferred plan for future improvements. It is the preliminary work before engineering and design can start.
The Camp Creek Greenway Trail is part of the Henry County Trails plan. The county adopted its trails plan in 2022. It recommends a new trail from the county offices to downtown McDonough. More info about the trails plan is on the county website. Select the “trails planning” tab.
West King Connector, Hampton
Lastly, Hampton is set to receive funding. They nominated the West King Connector Overpass for funding consideration. This will be a pedestrian bridge over State Route 20. The city will receive about $640 thousand in federal funds for design. Hampton must contribute a local match of $160 thousand. The total design budget is then $800 thousand. The design funding is immediate, FY 2025. Other costs, such as right of way and construction, have an estimate of $9.4 million. There is no federal funding allocated as of now towards these phases.
TIP Amendment & Public Comments
The Atlanta Regional Commission is accepting public comments this month on TIP amendment 3. The amendment incorporates the solicitation funding into the transportation improvement program. Following the public comment period, the ARC board can consider approving it. They will consider approval in February. After the ARC board approves it, then the funding will be finalized.
The public comments period is January 2 to January 31, 2025. Residents may submit comments online, by phone or an in-person meeting. The full overview of the TIP amendment is on the ARC website.
Featured image shows Jonesboro Road at Foster Drive, east of I-75. Georgia DOT photo.
