The Georgia Department of Transportation is moving full steam ahead on infrastructure improvements around the megasite, home to Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America.
HMGMA is the state’s largest economic project-to-date, prompting the need for major road improvements around the megasite.
The widening of Highway 280, a frontage road and more improvements at I-16 and Old Cuyler Road will cost a whopping $184 million, to be funded with a combination of local, state and federal funds, according to GDOT.
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According to Kyle Collins, communications manager for the Office of Strategic Communications at GDOT, the frontage road will be open to traffic by the end of the year. The street serves as an east-west connector from Highway 280 and HMGMA. In February, the South Korean auto manufacturer announced the metaplant would open in the final quarter of 2024, although a definitive date has not been announced.
GDOT estimates 6,000 daily trips will be made to the site upon opening. That number is expected to grow to a whopping 20,000 by 2027 and 25,000 by 2030.
GDOT crews can also be seen along Highway 280 doing extensive road work to prep the 2-lane byway to be widened to four lanes. The project is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the project map on GDOT’s website.
“The signals at Kia Drive are now in temporary configuration and active,” said Collins. “Also, traffic has shifted onto the new widening at this intersection allowing the usage of a single left-turn lane from US 280 southbound onto Kia Drive.”
The I-16 at Old Cuyler Road Interchange, which is slated to begin construction in 2025, will feature three multi-lane roundabouts and see “substantial completion” in 2027, according to GDOT’s website. The bid for the $74.5 million I-16 at Old Cuyler Road Interchange project was awarded in August.
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.