GA DOT ALERT: SR 316 Traffic Moves Overnight Saturday

Lawrenceville, Ga. – Georgia DOT announces a project milestone is planned for overnight Saturday, March 2, if weather permits. State Route 316 traffic at State Route 20 will be moved out from its current location to temporary lanes on the outside of the current lanes.

“The next phase of construction is to begin lowering State Route 316 where the new SR 20 Bridge will be built. Because SR 316 runs along the highest ridge in the area, 316 must be lowered. This saves us time and money by minimizing the SR 20 bridge structure. Traffic will be redirected from SR 316’s normal path to the outside lanes that will eventually be ramps for the new interchange. Please slow down and follow the signs and barrels until you get used to this change. Remember, all fines are doubled in a work zone if you are ticketed,” explained Harold Mull, District Construction Engineer.

Overnight lane closures and traffic pacings are required beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday to change SR 316 by Sunday morning traffic will be moved.

Once the project is completed, motorists on SR 316 will access SR 20 and Collins Hill Road via ramps instead of the existing intersections and vice versa. “This project will build one interchange or exit to allow traffic from State Route 316 to access State Route 20 or to access Collins Hill Road using a system of long ramps. The existing signalized intersections at State Route 20 and at Collins Hill Road will be removed as the interchange is finished. It is similar to the system we have along I-85 from SR 120 down to Pleasant Hill Road. You get off the mainline of I-85 south at SR 120 and use the parallel roads to access the exit you need,” concluded Mull.

This $37.4 million construction project includes 2.23 miles of new roadway and two new bridges over   SR 316. The project completion date is December 31, 2014 and the contractor is GP’S Enterprises, Inc. of Auburn.

Each day, hundreds of Georgia Department of Transportation employees and contractors work on dozens of highway, bridge and intersection improvements throughout the state.  Their work often brings them and heavy machinery in close proximity to travel lanes. Fifty-seven Georgia DOT personnel and many more motorists, passengers and contractors’ workers have been killed in highway work zone accidents since 1973.  Please help us prevent these tragedies by slowing down; being especially attentive and cautious as you pass through construction work zones; and always driving responsibly.  Safer Driving; Safer Work Zones; For Everyone.  For more information on Georgia DOT, please visit www.dot.ga.gov or subscribe to our Press Release RSS feed.  You also may follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/GeorgiaDOT) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/gadeptoftrans).