The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has awarded 24 contracts, with a total value of $67.6m, for safety improvements on roads across the state.

Approximately $3m has been allocated for safety projects on local roads, while almost $4.6m will be spent on two bridge bond projects to be funded from $100m in bonds appropriated by the 2015 General Assembly.

The department has granted $36.9m for a connectivity and congestion relief project, which includes the widening and reconstruction of 5.1 miles on Bethelview Road (CR 455) from Castleberry Road (CR 8) to State Route 20 in Forsyth County, and construction of a bridge and approaches over Big Creek.

Awarded to CMES and Norcross, the project is expected to boost safety and capacity through widening, alignment modifications, and the addition of a raised median and turn lanes, and will complete in June 2019.

The project represents nearly $50m of investment in Forsyth County, which includes right-of way acquisition and design costs.

"Transportation projects need to be planned over a period of years which becomes very difficult when we do not have the much needed federal funding."

Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell McMurry said: "While I’m glad we could move some critical projects ahead, I am concerned that we still do not have long-term federal funding.

"Transportation projects need to be planned over a period of years, which becomes very difficult when we do not have the much needed federal funding."

The contracts also include traffic signal upgrades at multiple locations on Memorial Drive / SR 154 in Fulton County, and intersection improvements comprising median reconstruction, as well as installation of turn-lanes and a traffic signal on US 82 / SR 520 at County Line Road (CR 459) in east central Georgia’s Dougherty County.

Off-system safety projects included installation of pavement markings on more than 350 local streets, as well as road signage, restriping, and intersection pedestrian upgrades, will also be covered by the contracts.

The bridge bond contracts include a $2.5m award to Southern Concrete Construction for 6 miles of construction of two bridges and approaches on SR 252 over the Satilla River overflow to be completed by February 2017, and a $2.06m deal won by McCarthy Improvement for 25 miles of construction of a bridge and approaches on SR 212 over Honey Creek scheduled to be finished in December 2016.