Major infrastructure, affordability projects pitched by Gov. Kemp in final Eggs and Issues breakfast

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp made his last headlining appearance Tuesday morning at a major Georgia business and political breakfast by announcing what his office called “historic investments in affordability, transportation and energy infrastructure, and education and workforce development.”

Kemp made the announcement at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Eggs & Issues Breakfast.

The items Kemp is proposing are:

• $1.8 billion for I-75 in Henry County, including for express lanes
• $200 million to continue improvements along Georgia 316, a.k.a. University Parkway
• $250 million in funding for local road projects
• $100 million to strengthen and improve bridges across rural parts of the state
• $35 million to create a natural gas infrastructure improvement fund within the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority
• $50 million to combat homelessness through a new Homelessness Response Grant

Referring to it as one of Georgia’s “most congested corridors,” Kemp said the funding for Henry County will “construct dedicated express lanes for both the north and southbound directions.”

“Nearly 200,000 vehicles a day travel this major artery that connects Georgians with key business hubs in much of our state,” Kemp said. “A quarter of those vehicles are trucks hauling goods — more than most major highways. That’s a sign of a strong and active economy, but without enough roadway capacity, it creates bottlenecks and slowdowns. Currently, 45 to 60 percent of commuters can’t get in the express lanes when they need them the most."

Kemp said once express lanes are done, “as much as 70 percent more vehicles will be able to pass through that corridor during rush hours.”

“That’s a great return on investment for our state,” he said.

The event also serves as a bellwether for the business community as the legislative session progresses.

Chris Clark, president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber, said they’ll be paying close attention to dueling proposals in the State House to lower property taxes and in the State Senate to eliminate Georgia’s income tax.

“What we don’t want is to shift the tax burden from one place to another place or have to raise taxes somewhere else to make up for it,” said Clark.

Clark also made it clear: the Chamber would not support a recently floated piece of legislation that would put a one-year moratorium on new data centers in Georgia.

Opponents of the project say they create waste, use tons of water daily and can have environmental impacts on the communities they call home.

“We’ll oppose that,” Clark said. “I don’t see what that does for us long term. Those projects may hop over to Alabama or Louisiana or somewhere else.”

ANF+ | WATCH GOV. KEMP’S FULL REMARKS:

On Monday, the Georgia General Assembly reconvened for the second year of its 158th session, with Republicans and Democrats expected to focus on issues central to their base ahead of the state’s nationally watched 2026 midterm elections.

This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First as we learn more.

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