VALDOSTA, Ga. – At last week’s city council meeting a contract was approved for an extra million dollars from the Georgia Department of Transportation to expand all of Jerry Jones Drive and Eager Road.

The plan is to expand the 2.5-mile stretch that is one of Valdosta’s main veins and the added money will go towards buying easements from residents whose homes are located within the area.

The right of way purchase is expected to cost up to $3 million dollars from the city, while GDOT is expected to pay about $13 million for construction, WALB reported.

There would be an addition of a center turning lane beginning at Baytree Road and Jerry Jones and continuing towards Eager road and North Oak Street.

This will take time to negotiate and Public Information Officer for theCity Ashlyn Becton said construction isn’t expected to begin until December 2022.