A transportation milestone of sorts has been reached in Gwinnett. Today, commuters on Pleasant Hill Road will travel through what appears to be the county's first major tunnel.

Georgia DOT workers opened up the tunnel Thursday night at the busy intersection with Buford Highway. The pro-ject pushes traffic under the railroad tracks.

"The big problem was the proximity of the railroad tracks to Buford Highway on Pleasant Hill Road," DOT spokesman Mark McKinnon said. "The train won't stop traffic on Pleasant Hill."

McKinnon has lived in Gwinnett for 30 years and doesn't think there's another tunnel in the county like the Pleasant Hill project.

The traffic shift late Thursday places traffic in its permanent alignment in the tunnel. It also opens the ramps from Pleasant Hill Road eastbound to Buford Highway and from Buford Highway to Pleasant Hill Road eastbound.

The ramp from Pleasant Hill westbound to Buford Highway also will be shifted to a temporary alignment. The ramp from Buford Highway to Pleasant Hill westbound will remain in its current temporary alignment. The shift began at 8 p.m. Thursday and will be completely in place by 5 a.m. today.

 ELIZABETH LANDT / Staff
Map locates the tunnel at the intersection of Pleasant Hill Road and Buford Highway. Inset map outlines area of detail in Gwinnett County relative to metro Atlanta.