Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Traffic mess is ahead for I-85 weekend nights By JOHN MUNFORD jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com Night driving into Atlanta from Peachtree City and Tyrone is going to be a hassle every weekend for more than half a year beginning this summer. Be prepared for triple lane closures going both ways after 9 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, state officials warn. An intensive repair project for Interstate 85 between Ga. Highway 74 and Flat Shoals Road is planned for sometime this summer, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. Although the start date is unknown, the project is expected to last between 27 and 30 weekends and take place on both the northbound and southbound lanes of the interstate, said Karlene Barron, spokesperson for the Georgia DOT. To prevent traffic problems for weekday commuters, work on the project will be limited to between 9 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday, Barron said. During those hours, motorists can expect multiple lane closures, with up to three lanes closed at one time, she added. “We’ll never have it totally closed down. People will always be able to go northbound and southbound,” Barron said, responding to a media report that all lanes in one direction would be shut down with traffic diverted onto the other side of the interstate, with northbound and southbound vehicles separated by temporary barriers. The contractor, who has not yet been selected, will also be allowed to close one lane at a time on weekday evenings, also from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Barron noted. The project will involve reconstruction of pavement sections, drainage improvements and resurfacing, Barron said. Although the start date depends on the availability of the contractor selected by DOT, the hope is for the project to start by early July, Barron said.