By Jasmine Stark
On July 31st, a group of local and state politicians, government workers, and media representatives gathered in a parking lot just off rumble road for an announcement.
The meeting was held to announce some great news for Monroe County. Monroe County Commissioners and State Senator John F. Kennedy have secured $5 million of state funds for infrastructure improvements here in Monroe County. This funding will go to improving Monroe County roads including the Thornton Rd intersection, assisting with a new entrance into T.G. Scott Elementary School, Montpelier Rd from 41 all the way to 42, and the I75/Rumble Rd interchange.
In attendance were State Senator John F. Kennedy, Commissioner Lamarcus Davis, Commissioner Al Turner, Commissioner John Ambrose, Commissioner Eddie Rowland, Joyce White, Director of Monroe County Development Authority, Kimbel Stokes, Director of the public works department, and a number of Monroe County road workers who will be completing these infrastructure improvement projects.
Kimbel Stokes said, after the announcement that they plan to make intersection improvements on Thornton Rd and Montpelier Rd, adding turn lanes, widening that area, and creating an intersection at the new access route going into TG Scott Elementary. The goal is to “free up that traffic, move it a lot faster, make it safer, and get people in and out.” Stokes says they have done traffic studies that show these projects will be the best way to achieve these goals.
State Senator Kennedy, a 15 year Monroe County resident, said that the three main things that the Georgia Department of Transportation was looking for when deciding where to send these funds were smart investments from a state standpoint, projects that would be good for the locals, and also preparing areas for future development. Forsyth being located right off of I75 was also a big factor in this decision as there are a lot of Georgia residents that travel through the city on I75. State Senator Kennedy recently announced that he is running for Lieutenant Governor and says that if he is elected he will be focused on keeping Georgia growing, keeping Georgia learning, and keeping Georgia safe.
Commissioner Al Turner remarked on how the new projects including the Buckies, Data Center, and Natural Gas Plant will be great assets to the county, adding that the “The tax base will be improved tremendously and we may even be able to look at reducing property taxes for our homeowners in the near future.”
Monroe County is a growing community and this funding will help to ensure that our roads are ready for the new residents and increased commerce that are on the horizon.
