State Department of Transportation officials, local legislators, county and city officials as well as business leaders were on hand to hear more about the $17.7 million DOT approved Thursday for capital funding of the Cleveland west by-pass project.
Ninth District DOT board member Steve Gooch said this money will be used to build out the first phase of the project, beginning on U.S. 129 south of Cleveland, starting at the entrance to Wal-Mart, and going northwest to Georgia Highway 115.
White County Commission Chairman Travis Turner said it has been hard to contain the excitement about this project in the last few days when he learned that something was in in the works. Turner said it's something the county has been working on for over 20 years and DOT has seen the need for it. Turner said he feels that once the project starts the DOT will find some other funds to get the other phases going in the near future.
Gooch described the by-pass as not just a road project, but an economic development opportunity for the area, using the bypass in his hometown of Dahlonega as a prime example.
Robert. Mahoney, DOT District Pre-construction Engineer, said they still have some engineering work to do and a few more right-of-way purchases to make before the actual construction begins and, he said, that could take up to a year.
Mahoney told the crowd that his department will "do everything we can to move this project on" and secure the remaining 36 parcels. Officials say that time frame will go fast, compared to the length of time they have been waiting to get this news.
Steve Gooch DOT Board Member/ State Senator elect
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/12/234432