Ken Marks

State Sen. Jeff Mullis acknowledged Catoosa County's concerns about a road-widening project near the county's industrial park, the day after a commissioner urged him to "step up to the plate."

Officials in Catoosa County hope Sen. Mullis, R-Chickamauga, who represents half the county and is chairman of the Georgia House Transportation Committee, can use his position to get the project moved up on the Department of Transportation's schedule.

"If I have this position, I want it to work not only for the state of Georgia but to help Northwest Georgia," Sen. Mullis said.

Hoping to lure a Volkswagen supplier to the Catoosa Commerce Center before the VW assembly plant opens in Chattanooga in 2011, county commissioners say widening Georgia Highway 151 in front of the industrial park is key to the park's appeal.

Work on the highway originally was scheduled to begin in 2011 or 2012, but over the summer, state officials pushed it back to 2018. Georgia faces a budget deficit of nearly $3 billion, and state departments have slashed budgets across the board.

In a phone interview Wednesday, Sen. Mullis said he "hadn't engaged strongly in this issue" yet, but assured Catoosa residents that he would work on getting the project moved up. He said funding was tough to find for any work in the state.

Georgia relies on fuel tax to fund improvements and high prices last summer led people to change driving habits, he said. With people using less gas, the state brings in less tax, he said.

"Every time you buy a gallon of gas is the only way we fund paving and projects in Georgia," Sen. Mullis explained.

Despite the challenges, Sen. Mullis emphasized the importance of the Catoosa project. In addition to potential industrial suitors, Highway 151 is already heavily traveled with traffic from three schools using the road every morning and afternoon, he noted.

Catoosa County Commissioner Ken Marks said the road would turn into "malfunction junction" if traffic increased without widening the highway.

"It can't handle the traffic that it's taking now," he said. "If we ever did anything with our property, it would be even worse."