Speaker of the House David Ralston announced at the Eggs & Issues held on December 3rd, 2015 plans to widen SR 5 in Fannin county to five lanes.  The Speaker called the project a, “Vital transportation project.”

The first phase will include widening SR 5 to five lanes from Blue Ridge to Epworth.  The second phase, (subject to further planning and public input) would include a proposed bypass around McCaysville, GA to the Tennessee line.  Ralston indicated the long discussed plan was made possible through HB 170 and expects the project to begin in the spring of 2017.