With the addition of the Lowe’s distribution center under construction now on Ga. Highway 140 in Floyd County, traffic will soon increase on the already busy and, at times, dangerous roadway. The long-awaited widening of the affected stretch of highway, however, is still some time away.

Georgia Department of Transportation Director of Planning Toby Carr visited Adairsville Thursday morning for the Adairsville Council Breakfast where he spoke about the state’s transportation situation and addressed questions regarding the widening of Highway 140. While right-of-way acquisition has already begun, funding will likely not become available for construction until 2017.

“There are a lot of parcels involved, a little over 160 parcels,” Carr said. “In 2011, the right-of-way period began, but there is a lot of parcels so that is a multi-year process. ... I think it was reported that construction would begin in ’14, when in fact, construction with GDOT is intended for ’17.

“It never happens exactly as you think, but you sort of give yourself a buffer time, and we think the right-of-way period will be about three years. I believe there was confusion between when funding for construction is intended to go, which is 2017, versus when the right-of-way phase ends.”

Responding to another question specifically about right-of-way acquisition, Carr noted that some parcels have already been acquired and others will follow through the duration of the right-of-way phase of this project, through 2014.

The Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce holds the Adairsville Chamber Breakfast on the first Thursday of every month at the Adairsville Inn, 102 S. Main St., Adairsville. For more information, call the chamber at 770-382-1466.