The executive committee of the Coastal Georgia Regional Roundtable set a deadline Wednesday for counties to submit a “constrained” list of desired transportation projects to the committee.

The committee, which met at the Richmond Hill City Center, will next meet at 9 a.m. June 29 at the City Center to review local governments’ pared down lists of prioritized road projects.

“Get ready to horse trade,” Bryan County Commission Chairman and roundtable executive committee chairman Jimmy Burnsed said.

Local executive committee members also include Liberty County Commission Chairman John McIver and Flemington Mayor Sandra Martin. Hinesville Mayor Jim Thomas serves on the roundtable.

A “decision-making” meeting with committee members will be held Aug. 15 to begin finalizing a comprehensive list, Burnsed said. A proposed final draft must be approved by the full roundtable in October.

“In Bryan County, we’ve about cut our (project list) in half,” he said.

Burnsed said the list of projects is currently estimated at $2.9 billion and the total cost must be cut down to $1.5 billion.

Read more in the June 11 edition of the News.