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First phase of I-16 widening won't include Bulloch County portion
Georgia DOT: $468-million project will go from I-95 to Bryan County line
I 16 Widening
Trucks and traffic roll by the Statesboro/Highway 67 Exit 127 sign on Interstate 16 East. The Georgia Department of Transportation announced plans in May 2025 to add a lane to both the east and westbound sides of I-16 from I-95 to Exit 127, but phase one of the project announced last week does not include the Bulloch portion. - photo by JIM HEALY/staff

The Georgia Department of Transportation awarded a $468-million contract last week for the widening project of Interstate 16 from I-95 in Chatham County to State Road 67 in Bulloch County.

However, the contract with Matthews-McLendon Joint Venture Infrastructure Consulting and Engineering LLC covers only the first phase of the 32.5-mile project – a 17.7-mile stretch of corridor from the I-16/I-95 interchange to mile marker 139.65 in Bryan County, but does not include the portion from Bryan County to SR-67 – Exit 127 – in Bulloch.

The Georgia DOT originally estimated the entire project would cost $522 million when it was first announced in May 2025. But with a $468-million price tag for the first phase, Kyle Collins, GDOT communications manager, wrote in an email earlier this week that GDOT doesn’t “have clarity” on the phase to complete all 32-plus miles “at this time.”

In the email, Collins wrote that the previously cited $522-million project cost range reflected a “conservative, all-in planning estimate that included construction, inspection, overhead and other contingencies for budgeting purposes.”

He wrote that GDOT currently does not have a cost estimate for widening the remaining portion in Bulloch County.

Construction for the first phase is expected to begin in 2027 and be completed in Q3 of 2031, which was the initial Georgia DOT timeline for the entire project, including the Bulloch County portion.

“The remaining portion of the 32-plus-mile … corridor that is not included in this phase will be delivered at a later date as funding becomes available,” Collins wrote. “If funding becomes available, it would be procured just like this Design-Build contract was delivered.”

I-16 Widening
Eastbound traffic on Interstate 16 is shown about to go under the Ash Branch Church Road Bridge at Exit 132. The median area here is one of the most narrow on the 32.5-mile stretch where DOT plans to widen I-16 to three lanes in each direction. - photo by JIM HEALY/staff

1-16 widening plans

The plans call for the interstate highway to be widened by adding a third 12-foot travel lane in each direction. Existing lanes will be realigned towards the median and the additional lanes built in the median area. The list of planned improvements also includes replacing existing substandard pavement, and widening or replacing the following bridges in both directions.

  • Ogeechee River (EB and WB will be replaced)
  • Little Ogeechee River (EB and WB will be widened)
  • Ogeechee River Overflow 1 (EB and WB will be widened)
  • Ogeechee River Overflow 2 (EB and WB will be widened)
  • Ogeechee River Overflow 3 (EB and WB will be replaced)
  • Georgia Central Railway (EB and WB will be replaced)

The project, which is considered a critical corridor supporting economic development and regional mobility, received strong support from Gov. Brian Kemp and was fully funded by the state.

“The widening of I‑16 is an essential step to keep pace with the rapid growth and increasing freight activity across southeast Georgia,” Rick O’Hara, Georgia DOT Project Manager, said. “By expanding the corridor and strengthening its infrastructure, we’re improving safety and ensuring this route continues to reliably serve the communities and industries that depend on it. We look forward to working with Matthews‑McClendon on delivering this important project.”

Lucille Lannigan is a growth and development reporter for Morris Multimedia.