PROPOSSED

WESTERN
COMMERCIAL
CONNECTOR
CHALLENGES TO LOCAL ECONOMIES
‰ Poor Mobility
‰ Poor Connectivity
‰ Congestion
Currently Programmed Projects are too little, too late.
‰ Insufficient Funding at State and Federal Level
‰ Environmental Reviews Delay or Eliminate Projects
‰ State and Federal Oversight Delays Projects and Inflates 
Project Costs
‰ Focus has been on commuters and not on freight movement 
or through traffic
 ATLANTA TRAFFIC

¾ Atlanta traffic commute not nation’s worst , but close (AJC)
¾ Atlanta Traffic: Overturned Semi Causes Congestion (AJC)
¾ Atlanta’s road system strikes again (AJC)
¾ Atlanta’s interstate highways consistently make the national rankings for 
worst bottlenecks (AJC)
¾ Atlanta’s I‐285 6th most congested U.S. road (NHWA)
¾ Lack of Alternative Routes Create Bottlenecks (NHWA)
Accidents are bad for Business

For each minute it takes to clear an accident it creates 
7 minutes of delay

‰ Over 145,000 accidents per year in metro Atlanta
‰ Over 14,000 accidents per year involving Semi‐Trucks
‰ Over 650 fatalities per year in metro Atlanta
FREIGHT MOVEMENT IN TONNAGE
Atlanta – America’s Bottleneck

ORIGIN -
DESTINATION
Georgia’s Economic 
Outlook
‰ Atlanta Metropolitan Area projected to
add 1 million people by 2015
‰ Construction on Panama Canal to be
complete in 2014 allowing larger ships
access to Georgia’s Ports
‰ Port of Savannah projected to double
cargo capacity by 2025
‰ Fort Benning 80,000 acre expansion will
continue through 2017
‰ West Point Kia plant continues to
increase production and expand lines
 KEYS TO SUCCESS

Š RELIABILITY
Š SUSTAINABILITY
Š ALTERNATIVES
Involved Jurisdictions
‰ 4‐lane  Roadway
‰ Limited Access 
‰ 80 mph Design Speed
‰ Toll Road 
‰ Approximately 113 Miles
‰ Estimated Cost $2 Billion
 TRAVEL TIME BENEFITS
(without an accident)

Travel Distance (miles) Travel Time (min) Travel Time Savings

Route Existing WCC Existing WCC Minutes Percent TT
I‐75 to I‐85 77 45 81 40 41 51%
I‐75 to I‐20 80 79 86 70 16 19%
I‐75 to I‐75 93 113 112 100 12 11%

I‐75 to I‐85 From High Falls exit to Newnan
I‐75 to I‐20 From High Falls exit to Villa Rica
I‐75 to I‐75 From High Falls exit to Cartersville
 Travel Times
to/from Atlanta Markets
Existing Proposed

‰ Cartersville to Villa Rica 89 min. 30 min.

‰ Villa Rica to Newnan 76 min. 30 min.
‰ Newnan to High Falls  81 min. 40 min.
‰ Cartersville to High Falls 112 min. 100 min.
‰ Provide Reliable Travel Times

‰ Enhance Economic Development Opportunities

‰ Provide for Alternative Routes

‰ Relieve Congestion

‰ Meet Regional and State Freight Mobility Goals

‰ Enhance Regional Mobility and Connectivity

 Birmingham, AL
Increased mobility between Chattanooga, TN
Chicago, IL
Cincinnati, OH
Georgia ports and markets in: Dallas, TX
Fort Worth, TX
Huntsville, AL
Indianapolis, IN
Jackson, MS
Kansas City, MO
Knoxville, TN
Little Rock, AR
Louisville, KY
Madison, WI
Memphis, TN
Montgomery, AL
Nashville, TN
Oklahoma City, OK
Shreveport, LA
St. Louis, MO
Tulsa, OK
Wichita, KS
‰ First Project of its kind in Georgia and one of the first in the
Nation

‰ A local government initiative to solve a regional 
transportation problem

‰ This multi‐jurisdictional transportation coalition will provide 
a model for other communities to follow

‰ Project demonstrates innovative leadership, out of the box 
thinking, and a commitment to the future
‰ A Northwest Atlanta By-pass Project was recommended to the
Georgia General Assembly in a briefing given in December 2008 entitled
Investing in Tomorrow's Transportation Today (IT3 Scenario Results and
Implications)

‰ This study focused on the need for new capacity for freight
movement around Atlanta and the State. 43% of truck traffic entering
Atlanta is not bound for Atlanta
‰ Multiple financial institutions have reviewed the project and 
given verbal support.  They recommended moving ahead 
with a Toll and Revenue study (T & R).  They have expressed 
a strong desire to be a partner in the project.

‰ Conceptual T & R study currently being conducted.
‰ No legislation is required to build project

‰ A Joint Development Authority will be created by the County’s 
and City’s involved

‰ The County’s and City’s will then contract with the Joint 
Development Authority to administer the project

‰ The Joint Development Authority will enter into contracts for 
the construction, operation, and maintenance of the toll road
The Counties can contract for the operation and maintenance of the
road for up to 50 years. At the expiration of the O & M contract the
ownership of the road remains with the jurisdictions.
‰ Meetings with Proposed Partners ‐ Complete

‰ Creation of Joint Development Authority – Within next 90 days

‰ Project Design ‐ 2011‐2014 (Concept is complete)

‰ Environmental Permitting ‐ 2011‐2013

‰ Right‐of‐Way Acquisition ‐ 2014‐2015

‰ Construction ‐ Begin 2016

‰ Road Open to Traffic in 2019
‰ This project is Economic Development

‰ Will support Georgia’s economic growth and 
competitiveness

‰ Will enhance growth opportunity in freight and logistics

‰ Will greatly increase mobility and access to the Interstate 
System throughout the region

‰ Will optimize throughput of people and goods, thus 
improving air quality
 The Alternative

To sit back hoping that someday, some way,

someone will make things right is to go on
feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you
last - but eat you he will. Ronald Reagan