ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) is seeking public input ahead of two planned open houses this month on a plan to widen Interstate 16 west of Savannah.
The project would widen the heavily traveled highway from two lanes to three in both directions from the I-16/I-95 interchange west to Georgia 67 in Bulloch County, a distance of 32 miles. Twenty bridges in 10 locations along the route would be widened or replaced.
I-16 serves as a major connector for trucks heading into and out of the Port of Savannah, as well as to warehousing and manufacturing facilities along the corridor. The widening would include the stretch of I-16 in Bryan County adjacent to the huge Hyundai electric vehicle manufacturing plan, which opened in March and has resulted in heavy rush-hour traffic congestion.
The open houses will take place on June 11 at the Bulloch County Center for Agriculture in Statesboro, and on June 12 at Bloomingdale City Hall. Both will run from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.
The project’s price tag is estimated at $450 million. The DOT expects to select a contractor for the work during the second quarter of next year, with construction due to start in 2027.