Meetings planned for 411 connector

♦ GDOT will answer questions on the Rome-cartersville Development Corridor.

For decades, some sort of highway stretching from the U.S. 411/41 interchange north of Cartersville to a new exit on I-75 has percolated.

There have been legal battles, even some turf wars and a good bit of federal and state politics as the divided, fourlane highway granting quicker access to and from the interstate remains mostly as “proposed.”

Exactly a year ago, the Rome Floyd County Development authority spent nearly $4.2 million on 202 acres off east U.S. 411 toward the Bartow border with hopes of a future payoff from the connector.

Indeed, there appears to be renewed hope with another series of open house updates scheduled for next month: online Sept. 1 and in person Sept. 8. Construction plans currently carry a summer 2024 deadline.

The virtual open house will be for 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, with the meeting link to be posted closer to the date on the Rome-cartersville Development Corridor website.

It will be an open Question and Answer session with the project staff.

An in person session is set for 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8, at the Bartow County College and Career Academy, Cafeteria Entrance, 738 Grassdale Road in Cartersville.

There will be no formal presentation. Drop in anytime to speak one-on-one with the project staff and submit comments.

Here’s the latest from the Georgia Department of Transportation:

♦ The purpose of this proposed project, titled the Romecartersville Development Corridor, is to connect U.S. 411 and I-75, providing improved mobility for commuters, residents, and freight movement throughout Floyd and Bartow counties. The RCDC would also relieve congestion along the existing U.S. 411/SR 20 to I-75 corridor.

♦ As planned: a new fourlane, divided highway from existing U.S. 411 / U.S. 41 northeast across I-75... New or modified intersections at existing crossings of local roads (using roundabouts and reduced conflict U-turns to avoid traffic delays for signals)... Modifications to existing US 411/U.S. 41 interchange ... New I-75 interchange, merging as two lanes with Old Grassdale Road including roundabout connections with relocated Busch Road and access ramps ... Adjacent access controlled by GDOT as a new state route.

Doug Walker Rome economic development officials hope this property off U.S. 411 East will be growing jobs instead of soybeans soon. The community has taken an option on 202 acres of the Braden Farm for future industrial use.