II 

★(Star Print) 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 459 

To require a study and report regarding the designations and construction 

of a new interstate route from Savannah, Georgia to Knoxville, Tennessee. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 18, 2005 

Mr. CHAMBLISS (for himself and Mr. ISAKSON) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 

Public Works 

A BILL

To require a study and report regarding the designations 

and construction of a new interstate route from Savannah, Georgia to Knoxville, Tennessee.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Interstate 3/3rd Infan5 try Division Highway Initiation Act.’’. 

6 SEC. 2. INTERSTATE 3/3RD INFANTRY DIVISION HIGHWAY. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 

8 (1) in accordance with the original purposes of 

9 the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Inter-
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1 state and Defense Highways, a direct interstate 

2 highway link between Fort Gordon, Eisenhower 

3 Army Regional Medical Center, the Augusta Vet4 erans Administration Hospitals, Fort Stewart, 

5 Hunter Army Airfield, and the Port of Savannah 

6 would be in the strategic defense interest of the 

7 United States; 

8 (2) eastern Georgia, western North Carolina, 

9 and the Great Smoky Mountains region of Ten10 nessee are underserved by north-south interstate 

11 highways, and would benefit economically and 

12 through increased public safety by establishment of 

13 an interstate highway extending from Savannah, 

14 Georgia to Knoxville, Tennessee, following a route 

15 generally defined through Sylvania, Waynesboro, Au16 gusta, Lincolnton, Elberton, Hartwell, Toccoa, and 

17 Young Harris, Georgia, and Maryville, Tennessee; 

18 (3) the United States Army 3rd Infantry Divi19 sion of Fort Stewart, Georgia, provided the ‘‘Tip of 

20 the Spear’’ in the War on Terror in Iraq; 

21 (4) the soldiers of that Division sacrificed their 

22 blood and lives so that their fellow Americans may 

23 live in peace and freedom; 
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1 (5) the soldiers of that Division conquered 

2 Najaf, seized Saddam International Airport, and 

3 Saddam Hussein’s palaces; and 

4 (6) those soldiers led the fighting on the day of 

5 Baghdad’s historic liberation. 

6 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con7 gress that— 

8 (1) a new interstate highway designated as 

9 ‘‘United States Interstate Route 3’’ should be con10 structed on the routes described in subsection (a)(2) 

11 between Savannah, Georgia and Knoxville, Ten12 nessee; and 

13 (2) that interstate highway should be known 

14 and designated as the ‘‘3rd Infantry Division High15 way’’, in honor of the professionalism, heroism, and 

16 sacrifice of the men and women of the United States 

17 Army 3rd Infantry Division in defending the free18 dom of the United States. 

19 (c) STUDY AND REPORT.—Not later than December 

20 31, 2005, the Secretary of Transportation shall study and 

21 submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 

22 on the steps and estimated funding necessary to designate 

23 and construct a new interstate route for the 3rd Infantry 

24 Division Highway, from Savannah, Georgia and Knoxville, 
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1 Tennessee (formerly the Savannah River Parkway in the 

2 State of Georgia), as described in subsection (b).

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