Senators Reverend Warnock and Ossoff secured funding for transportation infrastructure upgrades Tuesday totaling $2.2 million from a bipartisan infrastructure law.
The funds will be utilized in both Gwinnett and Chatham Counties, with the goal of enhancing pedestrian safety and increasing overall connectivity. The two senators announced the federal funding in Washington D.C., commenting on how both benefiting counties are two of the most populous in Georgia. The funds were awarded by the Department of Transportation’s Strengthing Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program.
The funds were authorized through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has previously been championed by both Warnock and Ossoff.
“From metro Atlanta to the coastline and in between, I will continue to work to deliver even more investments to upgrade our state’s infrastructure so Georgians can have safer communities and stronger connectivity,” Warnock said.
Gwinnett County submitted a bid to the DOT last year, vying for $1 million in funds to be used to employ technology-based pedestrian safety solutions along Singleton Road. The area is a multimodal corridor that has seen several pedestrian accidents since 2018. Soon after Gwinnett County’s bid, Sen. Warnock wrote a letter in support of the submission.
Plans are in place to install pedestrian hybrid beacons that will help facilitate road crossings. Additionally, funds will be used to strengthen connected vehicle technology, informing drivers of boarding trends at bus stops along the corridor.
“Senator Warnock and I are delivering these upgrades through the bipartisan infrastructure law to keep families safe and make it easier to get around town,” Ossoff said. “Our bipartisan infrastructure law will deliver long-overdue upgrades to Georgia’s infrastructure for years to come.”
Gwinnett County has seen steady traffic increases over the years, now hosting just over one million residents. Officials said the upward trend in population growth has led to a need for safety, mobility and operational improvements.
Chatham County is slated to receive $1.2 million in funding and will invest in an electric vehicle-based micro-transit system to increase accessibility in Savannah, Georgia.
Warnock has been a long-time supporter of efforts to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, starting with his work in the U.S. Senate Commerce, Transportation and Science Committee. The law reportedly includes policies and billions of dollars in investments to revitalize infrastructure in Georiga. Those plans and policies will cover things like roads, bridges, ports, airports, broadband internet, water, sewer, electric vehicle charging and improvements to school transportation.
