New leadership within the Georgia Department of Transportation and on the GDOT Board may be beneficial to Barrow County because of past good relationships and future potential to develop new working friendships.

Todd Long was recently appointed by Gov. Perdue as the Director of Planning for the Georgia Department of Transportation. The position was created by the General Assembly this spring with the passage of Senate Bill 200.

State Rep. Vance Smith Jr., R-Pine Mountain, chairman of the House Transportation Committee has been named commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation. Smith was unanimously elected by the State Transportation Board.

"As for Vance and Todd, it can’t help nut be great for us," said State Rep. Terry England. "Vance has truly been one of the best thought of members of the General Assembly while I have been there. He is a great guy and a healer.

"He understands how to move dirt and run a business as a multi - generation grading contractor. He has a great relationship with the current GDOT Board and has worked with them for the past 5 years as our House Transportation Committee member," said England. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Vance and consider him a very good friend."

He is equally pleased with Long,

"Todd knows our district very well having been our district engineer for about a year," said State Rep. Terry England. "I worked with Todd during the short time he served the district and had a great relationship during that time. I look forward to working with him also.

Barrow County Engineer Darrell Greeson agrees.

"Todd was a nice guy and I thought did a good job for Barrow," said Greeson.

"Todd’s qualifications and knowledge of the DOT planning process make him the perfect candidate to take on this new role," said Gov. Perdue. "I think all Georgians want a statewide transportation plan based on our needs that provides value for our tax dollars, and we are taking a big step in that direction today."

In addition the State Transportation Board recently unanimously re-elected Bill Kuhlke Jr., of Augusta, as its chairman and put in Board Member Rudy Bowen of Suwanee to serve as vice chairman. Kuhlke represents the 10th Congressional District; Bowen the 7th.

On Tuesday, Gov. Perdue, Deputy U.S. Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari and Commissioner Smith officially launched work on Georgia’s first American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) highway stimulus project. The $940,000 resurfacing project of four miles of U.S. Highway 19/State Route 3 is the first of hundreds of ARRA projects being awarded in Georgia this year to create and sustain jobs.

"Investments in our transportation network provide sustained economic opportunities for Georgia," Gov. Perdue said. "We have ensured that projects funded by the stimulus package are not only shovel-ready, but will also relieve congestion or repair roads with some of the state’s lowest pavement ratings."

Gov. Perdue also congratulated Rep. Smith on his appointment as DOT Commissioner. "I look forward to working closely with the new commissioner and the new planning director as we address the transportation needs across the state," he said.

Smith succeeds Gerald Ross who has served as interim commissioner since February and who now will return to his previous position as the Department’s chief engineer.

"I am honored and humbled to have been chosen and excited to start work," Smith said. "There are great challenges facing the Department; I see these challenges more as opportunities to make a good transportation system the best it can be."

The State Transportation Board determines policy and exercises general governance of Georgia’s Department of Transportation. The Board’s 13 members, representing each of the state’s congressional districts, serve staggered, five-year terms. Board members are elected by those state senators and representatives whose legislative districts fall within all or part of the relevant congressional district.