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Widening project advances

DOT engineers and contract personnel met recently to discuss final details before another major construction project gets underway in Coweta and Fayette Counties.

DOT District Engineer Thomas Howell said, “With the growth both Coweta County and Fayette County have experienced, and continue to have, it is important that we continually make improvements to the transportation system in that area in order to carry the volumes of traffic generated by the growth.

This expansion project may be an exercise in patience, but will certainly prove that the pain is worth the gain.”

ER Snell Contractor was awarded a $14 million contract for the widening of Ga. Highways 34/54 from just west of Fischer Road in Coweta County to Ga. Highway 74 in Peachtree City and has now been issued a notice to proceed. They are ready to go to work on this project and plan to begin before the end of July. The projected completion date is June 30, 2006.

This project will include 2.175 miles of widening for additional lanes,grading, drainage, base and plant mix resurfacing. Some construction details in Peachtree City are as follows:

• 44' raised grass median

• Two lighted pedestrian/golf cart tunnels.

• Signalized median openings at Macduff Parkway, Planterra Way, Huddleston Road, and Market Place, each having black finished mast arm assemblies.

• An un-signalized median opening at Line Creek Drive.

• Sidewalks and aluminum handrail on bridge over Line Creek.

• Signals that are interconnected with fiber-optic cable to promote corridor operation through synchronization

Area Engineer Marc Mastronardi said, "The DOT is sensitive to the impact projects have on communities. Both SR-34 and SR-54 carry high volumes of traffic daily, especially during morning and evening commute hours, so time restrictions have been written into the contract on this project. No work that requires lane closures will be performed between the hours of 6 am and 9 am for the morning commute, and none that requires lane closures will be performed between the hours of 4 pm and 6:30 pm for the evening commute.

However, activity outside of the existing travel ways will likely be performed during those hours. Motorists should make their daily travel plans with this construction work in mind."

"We encourage anyone who can to use alternate routes whenever possible,'' said Dorothy Daniel, a DOT Communications Officer. "We also urge them to drive with extreme care when passing through any construction work zone.

Their own lives as well as the lives of the workers depend upon it. They should be alert for workers, equipment, message boards, slow dawns, lane shifts, new signals, and adjusted speed limits. In choosing alternate routes, it is extremely important that they obey all local speed ordinances.”

With construction abounding along this corridor, the DOT is making efforts to keep the public well-informed as they plan their daily activities.

Residents are encouraged to be attentive to local media outlets, including television, radio, and newspaper for up-to-date information. Businessleaders can obtain an informative brochure about this project by calling the DOT office in Thomaston at 706-646-6257. They can get timely information by visiting the Georgia Navigator web site at www.georgia-navigator.com to view current traffic interruption reports for the major corridors of the state.