Start: Fisher’s Landing, NY – End: Apalachicola, FLI-DOTS Phase I - Start: Columbus, GA - End: Apalachicola, FL
I-DOTS Phase II - Start: Calhoun, GA – End: Newnan, GA
Phase I - Est. Length: 185 miles
Phase II - Est. Length: 75 miles
Benefits: Homeland Security, Economic Growth, Environmental/Fuel, Population Centers, Evacuation Route
Phase I Connecting: GA: Atlanta (via I-85), Columbus. AL: Dothan. FL: Panama City, Tallahassee (via I-10).
Phase II Connecting: GA: Atlanta, LaGrange, Columbus. Newnan, Carrollton, Rome. TN: Chattanooga, Knoxville (via co-routing overlay with I-75)
Intersections: I-10, Chipley, FL; I-85, Newnan, GA; I-20, Waco, GA; I-30, Rome, GA; I-75, Calhoun, GA.
I-81 currently exists as a north-south Interstate currently with a southern terminus at Dandridge, Tennessee east of Knoxville and terminating near the Canadian border at Fisher’s Landing, New York. It is suggested that Interstate-185 and its suggested northern and southern extensions be re-designated as the southern segment of I-81. I-40 in Tennessee and I-75 in Tennessee and Georgia would be co-signed as I-81 until Calhoun, Georgia. At Calhoun, I-81 would again split from I-75 to form the northern extension of Interstate-185, which connects Columbus, Georgia to Atlanta via Interstate-85.
At it’s intersection with I-85 at Newnan, Georgia, I-81 would be co-signed with I-85 until it Splits again at LaGrange, Georgia with the existing I-185 to Columbus, Georgia. The Calhoun to Newnan segment would form the western segment of Atlanta’s Outer Perimeter. The new extension would bring Dothan, Alabama, nearby Enterprise, Alabama and Panama City, Florida to the Interstate highway system and provide a long needed safe north-south route to Florida’s gulf coast. Together, the northern and southern extensions for I-81 (I-185) would divert significant north-south and gulf coast-bound traffic from the I-285 Atlanta Perimeter.
The extension also picks up a bi-state border that is one of the most economically depressed regions of the nation. Passing through eastern side of Lake Walter F. George through Clay County, Georgia before crossing into Alabama to connect Dothan. Clay County is one of Georgia’s poorest counties and the county farthest from Interstate access.
Merging with I-75 north of Atlanta and splitting again at Dandridge, TN, the entire route of I-81 would include these major cities: VA: Bristol, Roanoke, Harrisonburg, Winchester. WV: Martinsburg. MD: Hagerstown. PA: Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton. NY: Binghamton, Syracuse, Watertown near Fort Drum at the Canadian border.
7 comments:
Is it possible to get this road a little closer to Tallahassee? I understand it may still provide Tallahassee with access via I-10 as currently proposed, but as of now, the Florida Capital doesn't have a safe North South highway.
This road needs to go through Tallahassee, Florida. It makes NO sense to target Panama City. We need to connect the two Capital Cities of Atlanta,Georgia and Tallahassee,Florida with a spur to Tampa,Fl. There is currently NO north-south interstate highway which connects these MAJOR metropolitan areas.
Why isn't Florida's Capital City not included in any of these interstate highway discussions???
There is a need for Atlanta and Tallahassee to be better connected for business, transportation, and leisure travel. The largest city in North Florida is Tallahassee and there is no need to try and isolate it. This is a no brainier! The interstate can go through Tallahassee and still get to the coast more directly.
Let your opinion be known here http://www.swgainterstate.com/factsheet.html, go to the comment form. We really need this in tallahassee, so it can slim our travel time from tally to atlanta . God Bless
Just create a spur off of I-75 to get to Tallahasssee. They have I-81 right.
No one wants to go to Tallahassee; it's not a "MAJOR" metropolitan area, it's a small town. If not for the government and public university, it quite possibly wouldn't exist. Routing an interstate from Columbus, Ga., to Tallahassee, Fla., would run much too parallel to existing I-75, making the likelihood of federal appropriates quite dim. The proposed route shown here makes far more sense, and Florida's government would back it as the Emerald Coast is a major leisure destination that lacks adequate access. As for Tallahassee, a small spur from I-75 (between Valdosta, Ga., and Madison, Fla.) is far more realistic, and would cut down on some mileage, instead of tracking east to Lake City, only to backtrack north-by-northwest to Valdosta.
All this being said, the federal government has not even targeted this route (I-81 or otherwise) as a "high priority corridor" which means this excellent idea will not be happening any time soon.
Lastly, shouldn't I-81 be to the east of both I-75 and I-85, to keep the number sequences consecutively straight? Why not run I-71 from Louisville, Kentucky, southward along I-64, splitting off near Glasgow, Kentucky, heading southeast to Cookeville, Tenn., and continuing south to Chattanooga, Tenn., where it could then double up with I-75? Some of the Tennessee portion has even been upgraded to freeway standards (see Tenn. State Route 111). Just a thought since we're entertaining pipe dreams here.
Lets, see...
Metro Tallahassee population is 377,924, not exactly a 'small town' and much larger than the majority of cities and towns served by Interstates. Regardless, it's a state capitol without (easy) access to Georgia or Alabama capitols.
Interstate numbering does move high to low east to west, however, they do regularly flip: case in point I-77 and I-85 in Charlotte, NC. I-81 itself flips with I-77 in Virginia.
Lastly, the point of routing I-81 in west Georgia is to relieve ridiculous 'pass-thru' traffic on I-75/I-85 through Atlanta. Still not opposed to discussions of other possible routes since we are talking pipe dreams.
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