WaysSouth
“Working to preserve and protect the unique heritage and environment of the Southern Appalachians by promoting sustainable transportation practices.”.”
The WaysSouth vision is a Southern Appalachian region whose natural beauty, environment, and heritage are recognized by all as its economic backbone and whose transportation infrastructure is designed to support, maintain, and protect those attributes.
WaysSouth focuses on three primary areas of work:
- We seek alternatives to destructive highway projects, both now and in the future.
- We evaluate modes of transportation and their benefits and costs.
- We work with experts to assess the economic needs of communities in the region and how they are affected by transportation.
As a team of professionals and concerned citizen advocates, we engage in dialogue and negotiation with state departments of transportation, regional planning agencies, county and city governments, and local leaders to develop a common vision and goals for meeting the region’s transportation needs while preserving its special qualities.
We continue to develop partnerships with universities, agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. With all who recognize the value in our region’s environment, history, and culture, we share the goal of a prosperous Southern Appalachia.
Current Projects
WaysSouth’s present priorities are
- Stopping Interstate 3, a proposed route from Savannah, Georgia, to Augusta, Georgia, and then to cut through the mountains of northeast Georgia and North Carolina to Knoxville, Tennessee.
- Reshaping Corridor K, a route through North Carolina and Tennessee, into an economically and environmentally sound project.
- Monitoring the proposed project to widen U.S. 441 from Clayton, Georgia, to the North Carolina line and influencing public decision-making processes on its development.
- Promoting responsible transportation policies and planning with individuals, organizations, legislators, departments of transportation, and regional planning agencies.