Douglas County, GA – On Wednesday, June 8th, the Atlanta Regional Commission Board voted unanimously to allocate Federal Transportation Funding from the new U.S. Infrastructure law.
Douglas County Commission Chair Dr. Romona Jackson Jones, a member of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) Board, was in attendance during a special called meeting when the ARC Board members voted to approve an amendment to the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that allocated $34 million in funding to the project in Douglas County.
According to Transportation Director Miguel Valentin, the project will provide additional travel lanes to improve truck traffic movement along the Thornton Rd corridor from the Norfolk Southern Terminal in Cobb County to I-20. “The project, which is slated for construction in 2029, will help ease congestion for motorists on the heavily used Thornton Rd which carries over 42,000 vehicles per day, of which as many as 8,000 of them are trucks during peak times”, Valentin said.
Douglas County Board of Commissioners Vice Chair and District 2 Commissioner Kelly G. Robinson also serves as Douglas County’s Transportation Committee Chairman. “It significantly leverages our local transportation funding,” Robinson said. “In addition, this will bring relief to residents who travel along this same corridor who desire to move safely and efficiently.”
Douglas County Commission Chair Dr. Romona Jackson Jones serves on the ARC 39-member board as the Chair of the Ethics Subcommittee, Co-Chair of the Advisory Committee on Aging, Secretary of Governance Committee, Member of the Metro Water District Governing Board, and Board Member, Transportation & Air Quality Committee.
“I’m thrilled and excited to see the results of my continued advocacy for project funding for the citizens of Douglas County,” Chairwoman Jones said. “This federal transportation funding will be a significant game-changer for Douglas County.”
The Atlanta Regional Commission serves as a catalyst for regional progress by focusing leadership, attention, and planning resources on key regional issues.