The second and third phases of the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) $500 million improvement project for the Interstate 16 and Interstate 75 interchange are on track to finish this spring, giving Macon-area motorists more room to maneuver, as well as a reprieve from construction congestion and detours.
Despite recent rough winter weather, there have been no major challenges to keeping the project moving, said Gina Snider, a GDOT district communications director. The proj-
ect timeline outlined on the department’s website is up to date with current information, she added.
Contractor ER Snell, awarded $155 million for the two phases, is making several operational improvements to roughly 1 mi. of I-75 on both sides, from Hardeman Avenue to the southern and northern borders of the interchange.
When finished, there will be two new overpasses, reconfigurations to the exit ramps, new collector roads, and a bridge over the Ocmulgee River. Phase 3 also includes the start of building a new ramp that takes southbound I-75 motorists to east I-16, Snider said.
Phases four and five are in the works and expected to be finished next spring; a joint venture between contractors
Webber LLC and United Infrastructure Group was awarded a $231 million contract in early 2021 for the work.
This part of the overall project includes widening and improving nearly 6 mi. of east and westbound I-16, starting at I-75 and ending at Walnut Creek in the Macon city limits. It also will see the widening of Second Street, to include sidewalks, and new exit and entrance ramps from Second Street to I-16 east, Snider said.
Additional roadwork will include:
• Completion of I-16 east build-out that began in phase 1.
• Completion of ramp and collector road construction that began in phase 2.
GSU Begins Construction On New $10M Baseball Complex
Georgia Southern University’s baseball program is set to soar to new heights with the groundbreaking of a $10 million, 16,000sq.-ft. facility at J.I. Clements Stadium in Statesboro.
The new Steverson Family Baseball Facility, slated for completion by the start of the 2026 season, will feature state-of-the-art
amenities designed to enhance both player development and fan experience.
“This project represents our commitment to soaring beyond expectations and setting a new standard of excellence,” Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero said at the Feb. 7, 2025, groundbreaking.
The facility will include a brand-new
locker room, player’s lounge, pitching alleys, batting cages and an innovative hitting and pitching lab, all equipped with Trackman technology.
WJCL-TV in Savannah reported that the new complex will include a “GATA Fuel” nutrition center, which gets its name from the university’s first branded coffee in a col-
laboration facilitated by CLC, the nation’s leading collegiate trademark licensing company, and Learfield, an athletics multimedia rights holder.
The upgrades also will cater to fans, with premium field-level spaces, a large terrace, a party deck and third baseline cabanas set to
An overhead view of the Interstate 16 and Interstate 75 interchange project
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Phases 2, 3 of I-16/I-75 Interchange to Complete This Spring
• Full access to Spring Street from I-16 east.
• Reopening of the Spring Street loop ramp.
• Elimination of the northbound turn lane from Spring Street to I-16 west.
• Completion of west-to-north ramp construction that began in phase 3.
• Completion of work on the north-to-east ramp began in phase 2.
Phase six is in the design stage and expected to go to bid in fiscal 2026.
It will focus on improving traffic capacity on north and southbound I-75 from the I-16 interchange to Pierce Avenue, along with the construction of a 1,600-ft.-long bridge for the Norfolk Southern Railroad that runs under I-75, and the completion of work on I-75 north of I-16, Snider said.
The project began in June 2017 with the intent of improv-
ing safety, reducing traffic congestion, improving access to downtown Macon and making improvements to at least 11 bridges and local street intersections. By adding and extending turn lanes, traffic can move more smoothly. Helping commercial and freight trucks moving goods from ports to major cities has an economic impact; connector roads will also help separate local traffic from motorists and truckers just passing through.
Earlier phases now complete include improvements to about 1.5 mi. of east and westbound I-16 between I-75 and Coliseum Drive. Contractor CW Matthews won the $70 million contract and finished the work nearly two years ago, Snider said.
The Pleasant Hill Mitigation phase, awarded to contractor ER Snell for $13 million, brought improvements to the community on both sides of I-75, to include:
• A new park along the east side of northbound I-75 that includes green space, a multi-use trail, lighting and information kiosks that tell the history of Pleasant Hill.
• Creation of the Jefferson Long Park on the west side of the interstate, featuring landscaping and a community garden.
• Relocation of Little Richard’s boyhood home, the Penniman House, to the new Jefferson Long Park on the west side of the interstate, where it will serve as a museum dedicated to the iconic singer and a community resource center that includes a display of mobile interpretive panels specially made for the project.
• Relocation and rehabilitation of homes impacted by the interchange construction work; some were demolished and replaced with new homes fitting the neighborhood’s historic character. This work was
done in cooperation with the Macon-Bibb Community Enhancement Authority.
• Construction of walls along the interstate to mitigate traffic views and noise.
• Replacing the David Lucas pedestrian bridge.
• Turning a 1,700-ft.-long open drainage ditch into a grasscovered culvert.
• Streetscaping improvements to 3.5 mi. throughout the community.
• Closure of the frontage road between First and Second streets to create a greenspace entrance to the pedestrian bridge.
• Development of a heritage tour that highlights historical structures and areas in the community.
The parks and Penniman House were completed in 2018; most of the other improvements have since finished, but a few remain in the works, with final completion expected this fall, according to GDOT.
(All photos courtesy of GDOT.)
GSU’s New Complex Due to Open for 2026 Baseball Season
transform the game-day atmosphere.
“[Head coach Rodney] Hennon said it today: ‘People make the place,’” said Chris Davis, the school’s athletics director. “Statesboro, Bulloch County and this community are so special, and Georgia Southern and Eagle Nation are special. We are blessed in abundance to have this opportunity. It really hits the 360-degree piece of our program.”
Enhancing Baseball Program
Georgia Southern officially unveiled its plans to renovate Clements Stadium on Dec. 20 to enhance all areas of the baseball program.
Since its construction in 2004, in time for the 2005 season, the stadium has served as one of the best atmospheres in all of colle-
giate baseball. Its facilities were well used by the hundreds of student-athletes who were part of Georgia Southern baseball during the past two decades. It also served as a host site for the 2022 NCAA Regionals and has created countless memories for Eagle Nation, the university noted.
The renovations promise to give the stadium a new feel for the 2026 season as they will transform the experience for both players and fans.
“This is another exciting time because of Eagle Nation’s continued support for Georgia Southern Athletics,” Davis said in December. “This facility project enhances J.I. Clements Stadium, which is already one of the gems of college baseball. This project impacts multiple groups of people because of its versatility, including our student-athletes, coaches, staff and future Eagles.
In addition, the Wiggins Building, which had housed the baseball facilities at the school, was demolished in January to give way to the new Steverson Family Baseball Facility, a fact that Georgia Southern officials believe will catapult the team into having one of the finest facilities and fan experiences among peer programs nationwide.
“The Wiggins Building [was] a great home for Georgia Southern players and staff for nearly 30 years and we thank the family for their support of Eagle baseball,” Davis said. “As part of the project, plans are under way to reference and honor the Wiggins family inside the new facility.”
The year-long construction will eliminate some seating options for fans down the stadium’s third baseline, but the new renovations are set to be complete by the start of the 2026 season.
Henson calls the construction “a transformational project that will impact our program in many ways such as player development, recruiting and the fan experience. We are very grateful to so many who have supported this project and made it possible.”
The entire effort is funded by numerous donors and fundraising continues, according to the university.
Since Clements Stadium opened 20 years ago, the Georgia Southern baseball program has a .651 winning percentage and has won more than 350 games in Statesboro. The Eagles have never had a losing record at home over their time at the park.
Last season, the venue broke the school’s record for both total (74,752) and average (2,491) season attendance.
Concrete pillars form the base of new roadwork tied to the two interstates.
Two phases of the interchange construction project are slated to finish in the next few months.
