The Georgia Department of Transportation is advising of a major Interstate reconstruction project where I-85 south meets I-75 south on Labor Day Weekend. This construction will cause heavy delays in Midtown and Downtown Atlanta. Motorists traveling into the city for events are strongly urged to use MARTA and avoid this construction zone. Drivers traveling to areas outside Atlanta should use
I-285.
Beginning at 9 p.m., Friday, August 29:
• I-85 southbound will be reduced to two lanes near its merge with I-75, and
• I-75 southbound will be reduced to one lane at this merge.
This work will continue until 5 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 2. Extremely heavy congestion is anticipated on both I-85 and I-75 SB north of and through downtown Atlanta.
“Throughout the holiday weekend, motorists should expect extreme congestion on the Connector southbound, delays that easily could extend two or more hours. And I expect this back-up will stretch far back on I-75 and I-85 as well,” said Metro Atlanta District Engineer Bryant Poole.
During the three-day Labor Day Weekend crews will tear out and rebuild sections of I-85 and I-75/I-85. The work will improve safety, sight distance and shift vehicle alignment into the final configuration for access onto the still-to-be-constructed 10th Street exit ramp. The new alignment also will provide a staging area to remove the east side of the 14th Street Bridge and rebuild the center bridge supports.
The Department weighed the decision to work Labor Day Weekend very carefully. The complexity and amount of work to be completed would require up to six weekends of major lane closures to accomplish what could otherwise be finished over a three-day weekend.
“We recognize we are inconveniencing the traveling public over a major holiday weekend as well as those planning to attend events at the World Congress Center and Georgia Dome,” said Poole, citing the University of Alabama vs. Clemson University football game on August 30 and a Historically Black Colleges and Universities Marching Bands competition September 1. “However when we looked at the venue schedule for the rest of September and early October there were even more people impacted – what with Georgia Tech and Falcons football and the Braves season ongoing through, as well as other events.”
The lane closures are part of an $88.5 million reconstruction project at 14th Street in Midtown which began in spring 2007 and is expected to be completed in spring 2010. The bridge replacement project also features two new exit ramps from the Connector; southbound to 10th Street and northbound to 17th Street.
Georgia DOT urges travelers to call 511 for updated information about this or any other construction project on interstates and state routes. Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, such as traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures, and delays due to inclement weather. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org.
The Georgia Department of Transportation is committed to providing a safe, seamless and sustainable transportation system that supports Georgia’s economy and is sensitive to both its citizens and its environment. For general information on the Georgia DOT, please visit our Web site (www.dot.ga.gov).
Labels: 1-75/1-85 highway, closures, georgia department of transportation, labor day weekend
# posted by
Brian Vanderhoff @ 8:12 AM
