Kemp outlines breakdown of $1.5B transportation infrastructure spend

(The Center Square) — Georgia plans to spend about 40% of the $1.5 billion in additional transportation funding lawmakers approved on increasing the Georgia Department of Transportation's capital construction program.

In January, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp announced a plan to include an additional $1.5 billion in the state's amended fiscal 2024 budget for the Georgia Department of Transportation for projects that "directly help move commuters and freight."

According to state officials, the additional capital construction funding will, in part, help transportation officials manage increased project costs stemming from inflation .

On Thursday, the governor outlined how state transportation officials would use the additional taxpayer funding. In addition to $593 million for capital construction, the allocation includes $500 million for the state's freight program, $250 million for local road funding, $98 million for Georgia airports and $50 million for GDOT's capital maintenance.

"Investing surplus budget funds in existing and future transportation infrastructure is critical to ensure our businesses can expand, goods and services can be transported, and our citizens arrive safely to their destinations," Republican Lt. Governor Burt Jones said in a statement.

The initial fiscal 2024 budget state lawmakers approved included $3.9 billion for the state's transportation department, including more than $2.2 billion in state money and more than $1.5 billion in federal taxpayer funds. The revised budget includes roughly $5.6 billion for GDOT.

"Over the last few years, we've welcomed unprecedented job creation to all regions of the Peach State, and this funding will ensure our already reliable infrastructure network can meet the needs of that incredible growth," Kemp said in a statement.