Editing Interstate 16 (section)

=== I-75 interchange ===
The interchange of [[Interstate 75 in Georgia|I-75]] and I-16 is also undergoing construction as part of $500 million project,<ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=Contracting Crews Will Be Busy With Phases of $500M Project : CEG |url=https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/contracting-crews-will-be-busy-with-phases-of-500m-project/60020 |website=www.constructionequipmentguide.com |access-date=May 15, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> split into six phases,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Interstate 16/75 Interchange Concept Map |url=http://www.dot.ga.gov/BuildSmart/Projects/Documents/I-16%20I-75%20Interchange/ConceptPhaseMap.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017213333/http://www.dot.ga.gov/BuildSmart/Projects/Documents/I-16%20I-75%20Interchange/ConceptPhaseMap.pdf |archive-date=October 17, 2020 |website=Georgia Department of Transportation}}</ref> with the first three phases being worked on simultaneously. These phases were set to be completed by the end of 2021,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=I-16/I-75 Interchange Project |url=http://www.dot.ga.gov/BS/Projects/SpecialProjects/I16I75#tab-1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205174110/http://www.dot.ga.gov/BS/Projects/SpecialProjects/I16I75 |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |access-date=August 12, 2019 |website=www.dot.ga.gov}}</ref> but as of February 2023, only Phase 1 has been completed:

* Phase&nbsp;1: A collector–distributor road was built on I-16 eastbound between the I-75 junction and Spring Street (exit&nbsp;1A), including new bridges over the [[Ocmulgee River]] and Spring Street. The Spring Street loop ramp was temporarily closed and replaced with a temporary left turn onto I-16 westbound. Also, the bridge over the Ocmulgee River on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was reconstructed and widened in this phase. This phase was completed in the summer of 2022.<ref name=":2" />
* Phase&nbsp;2: Construction includes improvements on I-75 between Hardeman Avenue (exit&nbsp;164) and I-16 (exit&nbsp;165) and the shifting of exit ramps from I-75 in each direction to I-16. Later in this phase, access to Spring Street for traffic coming from southbound I-75 via I-16 will be temporarily closed to allow for completion of the collector–distributor system.
* Phase&nbsp;3: A new collector–distributor road is being built along I-75 north through the I-16 interchange, along with a new westbound collector–distributor road from Spring Street along I-16 over the Ocmulgee River and portions of other ramps.
Construction on Phase&nbsp;1 was completed by C.W. Matthews at a cost of $63&nbsp;million, while construction on Phase&nbsp;2 and Phase&nbsp;3 is being completed by E.R. Snell Company for $156&nbsp;million.<ref name=":2" />

Three additional phases are included in the project, which ultimately are intended to help improve access to and from downtown Macon<ref>{{Cite web |title=I-16/75 Interchange |url=http://www.i16i75.com/index_files/images/renderings/i16i75lookingnorth.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903040737/http://www.i16i75.com/index_files/images/renderings/i16i75lookingnorth.jpg |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |website=Georgia Department of Transportation}}</ref> and Gray Highway<ref>{{Cite web |title=I-16/75 Interchange - I-16 Looking East Rendering |url=http://www.i16i75.com/index_files/images/renderings/i16lookingeast.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903040525/http://www.i16i75.com/index_files/images/renderings/i16lookingeast.jpg |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |website=Georgia Department of Transportation}}</ref> via the currently-underutilized Second Street bridge, reducing congestion on Spring Street and North Avenue:<ref name=":1" />

* Phase&nbsp;4: Bids for a construction contract are scheduled to occur in 2021. Second Street will be widened and ramps from and to eastbound I-16 will be constructed. Construction from Phase&nbsp;1 and Phase&nbsp;2 will be completed, along with the collector–distributor road through the I-75 interchange along eastbound I-16 to the Coliseum Drive/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard exit. Access from I-75 southbound via I-16 to Spring Street will be reopened at the conclusion of this phase.
* Phase&nbsp;5: Bids for a construction contract are scheduled to occur in 2021. During this phase, the Spring Street loop ramp will be reopened and the temporary left turn lane on northbound Spring Street to I-16 westbound will be closed permanently. Also, Phase&nbsp;3 construction will be completed, and a connection to the north-to-east ramp from Phase&nbsp;2 will be built. This phase also includes the completion of the westbound collector–distributor road from Phase&nbsp;3, along with a new ramp from Second Street to westbound I-16.
* Phase&nbsp;6: Bids for a construction contract are scheduled to occur in 2023. A {{Convert|1600|ft|m|abbr=|adj=on}} tunnel will be built for the Norfolk Southern Railroad under I-75. All remaining construction will be completed in this phase.

Also as a part of this project, GDOT spent $12&nbsp;million in the Pleasant Hill neighborhood to help mitigate the effect of the construction and new highway ramps. The construction, which was completed in the summer of 2018, included the creation of two new parks and the transformation of Penniman House, the childhood home of the late musician [[Little Richard]], into a community resource center.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.macon.com/news/local/article218925375.html|title=Tired of interstate construction? Here's when you can expect it to be finished|last=Dunlap|first=Stanley|date=October 1, 2018|website=The Telegraph|access-date=August 13, 2019}}</ref> This project was labeled as Phase 1B.<ref name=":2" />

==== Effect of construction on Port of Savannah traffic ====
According to GDOT, with the expansion of I-16 at its interchanges with I-75, I-95, and I-516, the estimated increase in [[Gross State Product|gross state product]] (GSP) would be $9.1&nbsp;million at a cost of $1.95&nbsp;million. In addition, employment would increase annually by 2,426, and the [[return on investment]] (ROI) would be 4.7.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Freight/Documents/Plan/Task%205_Recommendations.pdf |title=Error |access-date=August 13, 2019 |archive-date=August 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813193627/http://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Freight/Documents/Plan/Task%25205_Recommendations.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>