GENEVA CO., Ala. (WDHN)—The long desire to four-lane state highway 167 north from the Stateline to Hartford may be a little closer to reality.

Two Alabama lawmakers from the wiregrass say Katie Britt’s presence now in the U.S. Senate may benefit that long-sought project.

Several Alabama lawmakers met with Florida Department of Transportation officials a few years ago concerning their efforts to four-lane Highway 79 from the coast to the Alabama line.

In Alabama, the highway’s name changes to 167 and stretches all the way to Troy.

AL Rep. Jeff Sorrells says “It’s being looked at real hard right now, and with federal money to put in a feasibility study, to have it done will be very positive for us. Give us interstate access and a four-lane through Geneva County.”

State Senator Donnie Chesteen of Geneva says with new U.S. Alabama Senator Katie Britt being from the wiregrass. That may smooth the road to four-landing.”

With Senator Britt being an enterprise native, Chesteen feels Britt may be more in tune with the transportation needs in the wiregrass.

“They want to get people to the coast, but more importantly if they have a cat.4 or cat5 off the coast they have to be able to have the capacity to get people off the coast,” said Chesteen

At this time neither Sorrells nor Chesteen has any bills pre-filed going into the 60-day legislative session that begins next month, but both men say they will be working diligently on transportation and other vital issues facing the wiregrass.