This agreement comes after roughly six months of searching for funding sources to fund a revenue shortfall for the project, which widens McGinnis Ferry Road from two to four lanes from Sargent to Union Hill roads. Alpharetta's portion extends from the east side of Big Creek Greenway bridge west to Ronald Reagan Boulevard.
In December 2019, Alpharetta City Council and Mayor Jim Gilvin approved another IGA with city of Johns Creek and Forsyth County whereby each city was obligating $5.9 million to the project, according to city documents. At that time, there was a funding gap, but the three entities as well as the Georgia Department of Transportation moved forward with the right of way acquisition phase of the project and continued to work to find funding sources to remove the funding gap.
The IGA approved July 20 is as follows: The cities of Alpharetta and Johns Creek will increase their funding allotments from $5.9 million to $8.9 million, Forsyth County will contribute $23 million and GDOT will contribute $19.8 million. The city of Alpharetta has already contributed $500,000 to the project, city documents show.
"This is an expensive project, and it could not be accomplished without the involvement of all our partners," Alpharetta Mayor Pro Tem Donald Mitchell said in a press release July 23.
The approval of this IGA allows the city of Alpharetta to begin acquiring right of way for the entire portion of the project within Alpharetta's city limits with the goal of acquiring all necessary right-of-way by March 2022. Forsyth County will be obtaining the necessary appraisals and title research for the city.
