The City of Savannah has been awarded $11,302,500 by the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) grant program for the City’s Freight Mobility, Military, and Workforce Readiness Corridor Project.

Savannah’s $11M grant, part of a $426 million federal investment into critical infrastructure projects in 12 states, will fund right-of-way acquisition for "The Boulevard," a new four-lane divided connector from I-516 to a realigned White Bluff Rd. Upgrades will include direct connection to Hunter Army Airfield and the widening of Hampstead Ave., as well as contain a shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists, and improved storm culverts along a critical hurricane evacuation and port logistics route. Right-of-way acquisition is one of the final steps prior to a project of this scale proceeding toward construction.

“Savannah has been working on DeRenne Ave. since 2008, and today that persistence is paying off," said Savannah Mayor Van R. Johnson, II. "This corridor connects our soldiers, our hospitals, our port, and our neighborhoods. We are grateful to the federal government for its investment, to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for nearly two decades of partnership, to Sen. Raphael Warnock, Sen. John Ossoff, Rep. Buddy Carter, and every partner who has stood with us." 

Additionally, the award is the most significant federal investment to date for Savannah’s Project DeRenne, the long-term initiative launched by the City in 2008 with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to address outlying congestion challenges and improve safety along DeRenne Ave. The City of Savannah will provide the local match of $13,645,136.

“Projects of this size are accomplished through years of planning, engineering, community engagement, and coalition-building, and this award reflects all of it," said Savannah City Manager Jay Melder. "Securing right-of-way acquisition funding keeps Project DeRenne on track toward construction, and we will continue to deliver near-term relief on DeRenne Ave. while the larger project advances." 

“This $11.3 million federal investment is an important step forward for Project DeRenne, our entire region, and the residents of the fifth district. Our community deserves safer streets, better connections, and relief from the congestion that affects daily life,” said Savannah City Mayor Pro-Tem and District 5 Alderwoman Dr. Estella Edwards Shabazz. “As this project advances, we must keep residents informed, support families and businesses affected by the improvements, and ensure neighborhood needs remain central to our decisions. I thank Senators Warnock and Ossoff, Congressman Carter, our federal partners, and City staff for helping move this long-awaited investment forward.”

Why DeRenne Ave. Matters 

Interstate 516 (I-516) ends abruptly at DeRenne Ave., funneling approximately 55,000 vehicles per day onto a congested, six-lane commercial street. The corridor serves as a primary gateway to Hunter Army Airfield's Montgomery and Stephenson gates; provides main access to Savannah's medical district, including Memorial Health University Medical Center, the region's only Level I trauma center, and St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital; transfers freight to and from the Port of Savannah; and is the daily route for thousands of Midtown and Southside residents traveling to work, school, and home. By separating interstate traffic from neighborhood traffic, The Boulevard will more evenly distribute travel flow between DeRenne Ave. and the White Bluff and Abercorn corridors. 

A Long Road Built on Partnership 

The City of Savannah initiated Project DeRenne in 2008 as a five-phase planning and design process. In 2010, Savannah City Council adopted a resolution on the project's direction. Since then, the City and GDOT have refined the effort into four coordinated components: 

1. The Boulevard – I-516 Eastern Terminus Interchange at DeRenne (GDOT), funded in part by the INFRA grant 
2. West DeRenne Improvements – SR 21/DeRenne Ave. from Mildred St. to Abercorn St. (GDOT) 
3. East DeRenne Improvements – DeRenne Ave. from Abercorn St. to Truman Pkwy, including a parallel bicycle facility on DeRenne Ave. (GDOT) 
4. West DeRenne Congestion Relief Project – City-funded near-term safety and operational improvements from Montgomery St. to White Bluff Rd. 

Project DeRenne has been a top regional priority in the Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (CORE MPO) long-range transportation plan. The project has gained consistent support from Georgia's congressional delegation, including a 2021 surface transportation funding request from U.S. Representative Buddy Carter. The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) is overseeing the project's Environmental Impact Statement. 

Growing Momentum

The INFRA award signifies a period of measured progress. The City of Savannah is actively designing the West DeRenne Congestion Relief Project to deliver near-term relief as larger GDOT projects advance. In November 2025 at a community town hall, residents reviewed conceptual designs for both Project DeRenne and the congestion relief project. In 2026, City leadership presented the project in Washington, D.C. as part of its federal advocacy agenda, and U.S. Senators Warnock and Ossoff and Congressman Carter each wrote to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in support of the City of Savannah’s application.