FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 29, 2005

Isakson Announces $92 Million in Highway and Transit Funds for Atlanta Area
Isakson Played Key Role in Drafting Highway Bill As Member of Conference Committee

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) today announced that he has secured $92 million in funding for the Atlanta area as part of the national highway funding bill. Isakson has secured over $211 million for the entire state of Georgia.

A conference committee report on the Highway Bill passed the Senate today and now goes to President Bush for his signature. It also passed the House today.

“Infrastructure is our state’s single greatest need,” Isakson said. “This legislation is critical to the state of Georgia, because it will provide our state with the tools necessary to improve and expand its surface transportation infrastructure to meet the demands of a growing population .”

Isakson was selected by Senate leadership in May to participate in the committee that crafted a compromise on the bill. Isakson also serves on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which has jurisdiction over highways. As a member of the House of Representatives, Isakson served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which also had jurisdiction over highways.

The bill includes $10 million for the state of Georgia for transportation improvements associated with capacity increases at statewide military installations as well as $9.1 million for buses and bus facilities. The Southeastern Economic Alliance for Next Generation High Speed Rail will receive $2 million, and the Georgia Ports Authority will receive $5 million for the Freight Intermodal Distribution Pilot Grant Program.

The bill also includes the following funds for the Atlanta area:

• $9.7 million for Highway 78 corridor improvement Gwinnett County;
• $18 million for the I-285 interchange at Atlanta Road in Cobb County;
• $15 million for MARTA clean fuel buses;
• $2.5 million for widening and reconstruction of Queens Road in Cobb County;
• $5 million for widening Cedarcrest Road from Paulding County to Governor's Towne;
• $800,000 for sidewalk and streetscape improvements in the City of Duluth;
• $3 million for East Hiram Parkway, from SR 92 to US 278, Paulding County new location;
• $1 million for I-575 from I-75 in Cobb County north to Sixes Road in Cherokee County for HOV;
• $1 million for upgrades to SR 316 from I-85 to SR 10 Loop including new interchanges and HOV lanes in Gwinnett, Barrow and Oconee counties;
• $2 million to reconstruct the interchange at I-285 and I-20 West;
• $4.5 million for widening Johnson Ferry Road and Glenridge Drive from Abernathy Road to Hammond Drive in Fulton County;
• $1.5 million for truck lanes and passing lanes in Forsyth County on SR 369 from Cherokee Circle to CR 267/Hightower Circle;
• $1.9 million for widening SR 369 from SR 9 to SR 306 and interchange at SR 400 in Forsyth County;
• $1.6 million for widening SR 20 from CR 293 to CS 5231 in Forsyth County;
• $2.2 million for SR 306 at CR 65/Waldrip Road in Forsyth County;
• $4.6 million to construct access roads on Airport Loop Road in Hapeville;
• $3 million for land acquisition in carrying outviewshed protection and wildlife abatement at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park;
• $6.6 million for reconstruction of the I-75 and Windy Hill Road interchange in Cobb County;
• $1.6 million for intermodal passenger facility improvements in Atlanta;
• $836,000 for an automated Smart-Card fare collection system for MARTA;
• $836,000 for Cobb County to implement Smart-Card technology and bus facility improvements;
• $3 million for interchange capacity improvements at I-285 and Ashford-Dunwoody Road; and
• $4.7 million for widening SR 85 from Adams Drive to I-75 and reconstructing the Forest Parkway interchange.

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