State plans to pay for truck lanes for Interstate 75

ATLANTA -- Georgia plans to build separate lanes for large trucks on Interstate 75 northbound between Interstate 475 in Macon and Ga. 155 in McDonough as part of the state's transportation plan.

The new lanes will provide "separation for trucks from the normal passenger cars. So that's definitely a safety improvement, that's definitely a mobility improvement," Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said Tuesday.

That project will cost a little more than $2 billion, according to the department. It's also still in early stages -- a concept only. No design has yet been prepared.

McMurry talked about the project at a news conference led by Republican Gov. Nathan Deal to unveil a 10-year transportation vision that will see $10 billion in state dollars spent along with federal money for big projects.

Deal said the works will make Georgia a better place to live and make it more attractive to people or companies considering moving here.

The decade worth of work will be funded by several taxes and fees the Legislature cobbled together last year.

The midstate truck lane project is one of the largest single items on the list. Other marquee projects cluster around Atlanta and Savannah.

"The project list is based on needs, outstanding needs," McMurry said.

The state also will spend more money on maintenance such as filling potholes, sealing road cracks and replacing bridges. Some of those smaller jobs are already underway.

"This is the first implementation I have seen of this magnitude in improving our infrastructure in Georgia that I can remember," Deal said

The governor said the projects will reduce congestion and make Georgia's roads safer.

Lawmakers also demonstrated a website, garoads.org, where all the projects are listed. Many of the projects will require state and federal dollars.

To raise the money, last year the Legislature passed a new $5 fee per night on hotel and motel stays and new charges for alternative fuel vehicles. Lawmakers also changed the gasoline tax to a tax on volume of gas instead of the sales price, resulting in a rise of five to six cents a gallon when the law went into effect.

Some Republicans called it a big tax increase and refused to vote for it. The bill that contained all the changes, House Bill 170, only passed after contentious debate and with some Democrat support.

The measures in House Bill 170 are expected to raise about $700 million for transportation in the fiscal year that ends in July, McMurry said. The following year, the measures are projected to raise about $830 million.

To contact writer Maggie Lee, e-mail mlee@macon.com

A previous version of this story misidentified the project’s north endpoint.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 5:35 PM with the headline "State plans to pay for truck lanes for Interstate 75 ."