Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 7248 S G M A G A Z I N E | FA L L 2 0 1 6 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 49 the state, moving cargo and goods, and basically daily life is impacted by transportation.” Hartley said District 4 manages the overall transportation network of federal and state roads within 31 counties in South Georgia. U.S. 84, which extends across the southern part of Georgia from Alabama to I-95, is a project that has been in development for several years and will now receive funds from HB 170 for completion. “The U.S. 84 four-lane project is being constructed in three projects from Homerville to Waycross,” Hartley said. “The completion is expected in 2019 and will positively impact truck traffic coming from the ports of Savannah and Brunswick going across the state.” Having the U.S. 84 project completed by 2019 is an important economic factor due to the Port of Savannah’s harbor expansion. As the nation’s fastest growing and fourth-busiest container port, the Port of Savannah handles more than three million 20-foot equivalent container units per year for more than 21,000 U.S. businesses. “Containers moving in and out of the Savannah and Brunswick ports are going north and south along I-95, or east and west on I-16 or U.S. 84 or 82, which runs through our district,” Hartley said. “Once the Port of Savannah’s harbor expansion project is completed, I think you will see more businesses that are importing and exporting materials want to locate in South Georgia. You will also see businesses that want to locate near an interstate, a rail hub, or port because it’s about the hauling distance.” The Jimmy DeLoach Connector, completed in May, is the final link between I-95—one of the country’s busiest interstates—and the Port of Savannah. The Connector offers numerous benefits for freight movement, driver safety and economic advantages. Moving freight between port facilities in HB 170 provides the Georgia Department of Transportation with sustainable funds to be used for bridges and road improvements, which frees up federal funds to be used in other capacities.Itisalsoassistinglocalgovernments with projects like bridge replacements and repairs, resurfacing, and safety improvements on existing roadways. State Transportation Board Tim Golden 48 S G M A G A Z I N E | FA L L 2 0 1 6 the Savannah area is critical to the local, state, and regional economy. The Connector will improve travel time from the port to I-95 and accommodate the increasing truck traffic entering and exiting the port. “The new Jimmy DeLoach Connector is a strategic mobility investment that will yield enormous benefits for the state,” McMurry said. “It will dramatically reduce truck traffic and improve safety on Augusta Highway. Further, it is projected to yield a benefit-cost ratio of 8:1 for Georgia taxpayers.” Another important four-lane project currently under construction in District 4 is State Route 133, which runs southeast to northwest connecting Valdosta, Moultrie, and Albany and intersecting with I-75. Funding for the project is part of the Governor’s Road Improvement Program (GRIP), which is a system of 19 economic development highways that when completed will connect 95 percent of Georgia’s cities with populations of at least 2,500 to the Interstate Highway System and 98 percent of Georgia’s population within 20 miles of a four-lane road. “State Route 133 is important because of its economic impact,” said Hartley. “It is a state priority under GRIP to get those roads that are two-lane to four-lane to help move products and goods. Trucks traveling on Highway 133 are moving a lot of agricultural products, and there is a short shelf life. The truckers have to get the products to the consumer quickly. Also, having a four-lane highway allows for larger trucks to move through this area.” Located equal distance between Atlanta and Orlando, Valdosta- Lowndes County also sits on I-75 (north and south), along with easy access to I-10 (east and west) and major state highways. Proximity to the Port of Savannah, Port of Brunswick, and Port of Jacksonville is an important part of the region’s logistics network. Another mode of transportation is rail service provided by Norfolk Southern and CSX railroads. “Our prime location, along with a strong logistics and supply chain network, provides a competitive advantage in helping businesses move their products quickly,” said Andrea Schruijer, executive director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority. “Having two rail lines running through Lowndes County is beneficial to our industries, but what is more important is that both lines have rail capacity.” Lowndes County is home to three major distribution centers: Lowe’s Regional Distribution Center, Home Depot Regional Distribution Center, and Dillard’s Distribution Center. “Knowing that we have infrastructure that has the capacity to expand puts us in a good position to work with logistics companies and attract those companies to Lowndes County,” said Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter. “What is extremely important about our area is that we are very sensitive to the issues of infrastructure like water, sewer, roads, and those sorts of things. We don’t want to get into a position where we are ignoring our infrastructure and then when growth comes we are trying to play catch-up.” Don’t tell business leaders in Douglas- Coffee County that you have to be located on an interstate to build a thriving logistics industry. Thirty years ago, Walmart decided to add a distribution center in South Central Georgia that now has 900 employees. Since the Walmart Distribution Center opened, others have followed, including Premium Waters and Spectrum Distribution. Road construction continues in South Georgia. This includes four-lane projects for State Route 133 and U.S. 84.