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LANETT — At its Monday meeting, the Lanett City Council approved two resolutions that would result in building a new road to the Lanett Regional Airport. If built, the new road would provide much faster access to the airport from I-85 than the present route. It would form a new intersection at 45th Street, directly across from the present junction of 45th and Phillips Road. This is the present location of the first traffic signal past the I-85 exit heading north from Exit 77.

One of the approved resolutions establishes a professional services agreement between the city and the engineering firm Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood in developing the new access road from Phillips Road to the airport. The project would include some land acquisition and the seeking of grants. Two tracts of land are being sought, one from the Chambers County Alliance and one from West Fraser. A new road at this location should enhance the area for future commercial development.

The second resolution approved on Monday states that it’s likely federal and state grants for the project will be approved in 2025 and that the planned improvements will involve clearing and grubbing, grading, draining, having the base and paving the new road, putting up the needed signage and markings, having some temporary and permanent erosion control and having some needed fencing. The road design services is expected to cost just under $400,000.

An application to do this must be submitted before June to be eligible for grants this year.

Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood project manager Jordan Russell was present at the meeting to discuss the project. He was confident the project would be approved for grant funding, given that it would offer improved access to a regional airport.