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Another snarled weekend predicted for I-85

By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizenNews.com

Elected officials, police and a growing number of Fairburn residents Weekend traffic jams due to road construction along I-85 in South Fulton County have been the order of business in recent months. This weekend will be no exception.

Construction crews expect to close the two right lanes of the southbound side of the expressway between Ga. Highway 138 and ga. Highway 74 beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, weather permitting. Lanes will remain closed through 5 a.m. Monday. Ramps will remain open but motorists should expect extreme delays when approaching the Hwy. 74 exit ramp, said Georgia Dept. of Transportation (DOT) spokesperson Karlene Barron.

The same period this weekend there will be a closure of the far left lane on the southbound and northbound sides of I-85 from I-285 to Flat Shoals Road to continue installation of a 27-inch high concrete wall that will top the median wall, Barron said.

Barron said no construction work will be done during the May 27 weekend to accommodate the heavy traffic during the Memorial Day weekend. Construction will resume work on southbound I-85 on the June 4 weekend.

“Again, extreme delays are expected around the Hwy. 74 exit as contractors will be working with lane closures very close to this exit,” said construction engineer Mickey McGee. “We are trying to give as much notice as possible so that motorists can seek alternative ways or even avoid the area if possible.”

Barron said contractors anticipate completing work on the southbound side of I-85 during the week of June 10. Due to the lane configuration at the ending point of the project, only one lane will be open to thru traffic from just north of the Hwy. 74 exit to just south of the exit during that weekend. Entrance and exit ramps on the southbound side of the expressway will be closed.