Curious commuters may have been wondering why the work on widening Ga. Highway 34 appears to have come to a standstill.

The problem is the weather, according to DOT spokesman Ken Crabtree.

Crabtree said this winter's recent spell of cold and wet weather has caused a slowdown in the project, but it's still on schedule to be completed by the end of this year.

The first phase of the four-laning of the road from Newnan to Peachtree City started last year with the widening of the road from Thomas Crossroads to Interstate 85. Crabtree said the project has actually gone faster than he imagine and the contractor was way ahead of schedule in January.

In order for crews to work on the highway, the roadway soils must meet a certain standard for moisture content and compaction, Crabtree said. This winter's cool temperatures have kept the moisture in the soil and delayed work on the roadway.

Another potential problem in getting the road finished is legal challenges. There are suits pending trying to get any road project halted that falls in the 13-county non-attainment area for poor air quality.