Expect some majorly snarled traffic in Cobb County this weekend due to bridge construction at the I-75/I-285 interchange.
Motorists are being advised to avoid the area if at all possible.
If you do travel that way, expect single, double, and possibly even triple lane closures along I-75 North and South, and on I-285 east and westbound access roads during day and evening hours.
RELATED NEWS: Giant toll lane project ramps up and up in Cobb and Cherokee
Credit: Andria Brooks
Credit: Andria Brooks
There will also be single lane closures on I-575 North and South between Barrett Parkway and the I-75/I-575 interchange, on Delk Road, and on Hawkins Store Road in the vicinity of the interstate.
Work will begin at 10 p.m. Friday and last until 5 a.m. Monday. The closures and construction will cause "significant delays," according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
The I-75/I-285 corridor is one of the most congested in the state, accommodating freight trucks traveling throughout the Southeast as well as commuters traveling between commercial centers at Town Center, Kennesaw State University, Marietta and Smyrna.
Several new flyover bridges are being built and incorporated into the "Cobb Cloverleaf" interchange to funnel traffic from I-285 onto and off of express toll lanes that are currently under construction along I-75 and I-575 in Cobb and Cherokee counties.
The construction is part of the mammoth Northwest Corridor express lane project, which will feature 30 miles of optional toll lanes for commuters willing to pay a price to avoid congestion. At a cost of $834 million, it is the most expensive road project undertaken to date in state history.
Construction began more than a year ago, and the lanes are expected to open in 2018.
Drivers can expect more of the same in coming years, as GDOT prepares to tackle a reconstruction of the Ga. 400/I-285 interchange starting later this year. The three-year project should wrap up by the spring of 2020.
READ MORE: Big plans for the Ga. 400/I-285 interchange
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