Catoosa County manager Mike Helton announced during Tuesday’s commissioners’ meeting that the project to widen Ga. 151 has been removed from the state transportation department’s list.

The project would widen the I-75 exit bridge in Ringgold, located near Ingles Super Market, to four lanes. The widening would continue past the property in which the 58-acre Ga. 151 commerce center is to be built.

The Ga. 151 commerce center is expected to house suppliers for the Volkswagen plant set to open in Chattanooga in 2011.

With only two lanes of highway, there is limited room for 18-wheelers to enter and exit the property.

In July, the Georgia Department of Transportation pushed the project back to 2018 but did not remove it from its list.

Helton said on Thursday that the county had been in contact with a local engineer who said the project will likely be put back on the list because there is “good reason to believe” the state will be seeking stimulus funds for the project.

Helton said although the removal from the list was a shock, the county will continue its plans for the property.

“It is in our best interest to keep moving forward,” Helton said.

He added that because the land does not have a commerce center at this point, the state does not see the widening project as an immediate need.

“When we get serious lookers involved, we expect the state to realize this is something we need now,” Helton said.