Covington County’s state legislative delegation delivered another project to the home folks this week when they released the official word that a corridor study on the feasibility of four-laning U.S. Hwy. 331 from the Florida line to U.S. Hwy. 84 in Opp will be done in the fall.

Speaker of the House Seth Hammett and Sen. Jimmy Holley (R-Elba) made the announcement Monday.

Anyone involved in economic development will tell you a strong infrastructure is key in building a stronger community. Speaker Hammett and Sen. Holley are certainly doing their parts to see that we have the best possible.

Having a four-lane there would give Covington County businesses and industries better access to I-10, and make the county more attractive to business leaders looking to expand and in need of east-west access.

But the corridor also would enhance the ability to move Florida residents along a hurricane evacuation route. We may not need that route today, but we will in the future; you can bet on it.

There’s no doubt, the study will affirm what we already know: Four-laning the highway makes good business sense all around.