Widening crews will begin working on path tunnel under highway

The widening of Ga. Highway 74 will necessitate the closing of turn lanes on Paschal Road and Willow Road starting Thursday, June 21 at 8 p.m., according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

That means only one lane of travel will be available for traffic on both roads where they intersect with Hwy. 74; both the left and right turn lanes will be removed.

The project will last several months and the lanes will remain closed until the culvert is complete, said DOT district spokesperson Barry Hancock.

The closing is necessary so crews can work on installing the culvert under the highway for a new tunnel for the city’s golf cart path system, Hancock said. The DOT included the tunnel as part of the highway widening at the request of city officials.

The traffic shift that will be in place will be marked with traffic control devices such as signs and barrels. The DOT is asking motorists to use caution when traveling in the entire Hwy. 74 work zone.

The project is being built by contractor C.W. Matthews, and progress is going well, Hancock said.