Sunday, August 18, 2002
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Sunday, August 18, 2002 |
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DOT moves most of I-85 work to evenings, weekends to minimize commuter impact
By JOHN
MUNFORD
Responding to outrage from southside Atlanta commuters, the Georgia Department of Transportation has changed its work schedule for lane closings due to improvements slated for both sides of I-85 between Flat Shoals Road and Riverdale Road in south Fulton County. The DOT's original plan was to have lane closures beginning at 9 a.m. weekdays and lasting through 3:30 p.m. The new schedule released Wednesday, however, has only single lane closures planned during the daytime to help lighten the load on southside commuters. Officials now plan to bunch the work in from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and from 9 p.m. to 10 a.m. Fridays through Saturdays. "Motorists are not likely to see daytime work in this section for the first few weeks of the project," said Steve Henry, DOT Metro District Engineer. When weekday lane closures are needed, they will be limited to one lane at a time and for short distances only, Henry said. "At every opportunity, the Georgia Department of Transportation attempts to minimize the inconvenience on motorists caused by construction work," Henry said. The initial construction will involve minor work such as guard rail installation, drainage adjustments and shoulder paving, according to the DOT. This work is typically slated for the later stages of such a project, officials said. Construction crews began work on the 5.11-mile section of road with minimal delays; recorded backups were no more than one-eighth of a mile long, the DOT said. The original construction schedule was sprung on commuters with little warning Tuesday as DOT released information about the project to news media.
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