Georgia officials have been in a race with the Panama Canal Authority to complete their projects next year. Both groups are behind their original timetables.
State Rep. Jay Roberts, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said a tour for a multistate delegation of legislators he led recently left him optimistic about catching up to the Panamanians.
“I actually think that they’re not going to be on schedule. They want to tell you they are, but behind closed doors, there’s some discussion that they may be running a little behind,” said Roberts, R-Ocilla.
Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano said, “We estimate based on the progress that we can begin commercial transits mid-2015.”