The Marengo County Commission approved a resolution on Feb. 11 in support of the construction of an interstate that would span from west Texas to east Georgia.

While Commission Chairman Freddie Armstead said this is a long-term project likely to take years, Marengo County would to benefit from such a project if and when it is completed.

“It would improve our county as a whole tremendously,” he said.

Portions of I-14 in west Texas have already been built. If extended, the interstate could run through communities included Selma, Montgomery and Phenix City and connect to roads such as U.S. Highway 80, U.S. Highway 84, U.S. Highway 28, I-85 and I-65.

Information provided to the commission on behalf of the Youth Infrastructure Coalition (YIC), a group of residents based in the Columbus-Phenix City area who are spreading awareness of the project to all communities along the planned route, states that I-14 would connect several major cities, large highways, seaports and military installations.

YIC members encouraged the commission to pass the resolution for several reasons, including resolving transportation issues such as traffic jams and lack of highway and enhancing economic development and business opportunities.

A video published by the YIC in 2018 shows that in 2010, the Federal Highway Commission conducted a study outlining route alternatives from Natchez, Mississippi to Augusta, Georgia, and that much of the route will be made up of existing infrastructure.

“We’re not so much building as we’re taking what’s already there and upgrading it and connected it to other roads,” with “minimal imminent domain acquisition costs,” the narrator states in the video.

More information can be found on youthinfrastructurecoalitlion.com

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, February 12 issue of the Demopolis Times.)