That’s why the widening of Georgia Highway 133 from Albany to Valdosta is vital to all the communities that the 65-mile stretch of road connects.
With Albany already connected to Columbus by a four-lane highway, completion of the Highway 133 widening will allow motorists to have four-lane access from Columbus all the way to Valdosta through Albany and Moultrie, creating a more efficient connection for military installations Fort Benning, Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany and Moody Air Force Base.
For Albany, which has seen the economic downside of no direct Interstate System access, Highway 133 would be another spoke connecting it to Interstate State 75.
With the state Department of Transportation in a state of flux while officials try to figure out how the agency overcommitted itself to projects to the tune of as much as $1 billion, it’s important that those along the route of the proposed widening band together and promote the project. A coalition of counties — Dougherty, Colquitt, Worth, Brooks and Lowndes — has been quiet for a couple of years now. But recently, they have begun making noise again as county officials, including the Dougherty County Commission on Monday, pass resolutions asking state and federal transportation agencies to look closely at funding the nine-phase project, which will cost at least $240 million.
“The state’s No. 1 priority right now is decreasing congestion and smog around Atlanta,” Dougherty County Commission Chairman Jeff Sinyard observed, “so we’ve got to make a concerted effort to let our folks know how important it is to get this road done.”
As Atlanta gets more congested and drier, it simply makes sense for Georgia to provide economic stimulus in underdeveloped parts of the state. Improving transportation access in Southwest Georgia would have a double benefit. But the decision makers need constant reminding of that.
In politics — and road funding can be as political as it comes — squeaky wheels are the ones that get greased.
The time to make noise about this project is now.