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Stretch of I-85 dedicated to McGee

By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizenNews.com

More than 60 family, friends and former co-workers were on hand July 6 for the dedication of the James D. (Jim) McGee Memorial Highway at ceremonies at Shannon Mall. McGee was a former Deputy Commissioner with the Georgia Dept. of Transportation (DOT) and a resident of Fayette County.

The Georgia General Assembly adopted a resolution May 9 designating the portion of I-85 from Flat Shoals Road to Ga. Highway 74 in McGee’s name. Living for years in East Point, McGee had resided in Fayette County for more than two decades.

McGee’s career with DOT spanned 34 years. Upon his retirement in 1989, McGee served as vice president and manager of the Transportation Group for Atlanta-based Jordan, Jones & Goulding and, in 2002, co-founded McGee Partners, Inc., serving as chief executive officer and board chairman.

Speaking at the ceremony, DOT Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl said McGee was a good friend, describing him as a man who was quick on his feet.

“Throughout his engineering career, as both a public servant and private businessman, Jim McGee had a keen sense of integrity and a commitment to quality and client satisfaction,” Linnenkohl said. “He was a man who had a commitment to everybody that uses the transportation system.”

In his 34-year tenure with DOT, McGee also served as a Senior Materials Test Engineer, State Highway Maintenance engineer, Director of Administration in the Office of State Aid and Director of Planning and Programming. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Georgia Tech and had served as an aviator in the U.S. Navy from 1951-1955.

McGee was married for 49 years to his wife, Eve. He had three children, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Also attending the ceremony was McGee Partners President and CEO Tommy Crochet, who spoke of McGee’s sense of people and his dedication to their concerns and well-being.

“Jim cared,” said Crochet. “And he could relate so well to people. He believed in doing a good quality job that made sense. And he cared so much about the people he worked with and the people who worked for him.”