News
News

Gwinnett, Gateway85 CID begin engineering Beaver Ruin interchange

October 5, 2022 Gwinnett County: The morning commute out of the northeastern suburbs was brought to a standstill Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022 after a multivehicle wreck spilled diesel fuel on the southbound lanes of I-85. The wreck, which involved two tractor-trailers and two other vehicles, shut down the lanes before Beaver Ruin Road at about 5:45 a.m. and was not cleared until nearly three hours later. Motorists were stuck in the backups for miles stretching back to Ga. 316. No one was injured, according to Gwinnett County police spokesperson Officer Hideshi Valle. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The fuel spill was to blame for the lengthy closure, Valle said. Until police opened a high-occupancy toll lane at 8 a.m., southbound I-85 was a parking lot. For much of the morning, one big rig with significant front-end damage was sitting horizontal across the travel lanes after crashing into a median wall. The shutdown impacted “pretty much everybody in Gwinnett County north of Norcross,” WSB 24-hour Traffic Center reporter Mike Shields said. Even after the lanes reopened at 8:35 a.m., delays remained on I-85 for the rest of the morning drive. (John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com)

Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

October 5, 2022 Gwinnett County: The morning commute out of the northeastern suburbs was brought to a standstill Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022 after a multivehicle wreck spilled diesel fuel on the southbound lanes of I-85. The wreck, which involved two tractor-trailers and two other vehicles, shut down the lanes before Beaver Ruin Road at about 5:45 a.m. and was not cleared until nearly three hours later. Motorists were stuck in the backups for miles stretching back to Ga. 316. No one was injured, according to Gwinnett County police spokesperson Officer Hideshi Valle. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The fuel spill was to blame for the lengthy closure, Valle said. Until police opened a high-occupancy toll lane at 8 a.m., southbound I-85 was a parking lot. For much of the morning, one big rig with significant front-end damage was sitting horizontal across the travel lanes after crashing into a median wall. The shutdown impacted “pretty much everybody in Gwinnett County north of Norcross,” WSB 24-hour Traffic Center reporter Mike Shields said. Even after the lanes reopened at 8:35 a.m., delays remained on I-85 for the rest of the morning drive. (John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com)
By
Feb 6, 2023

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners recently approved an agreement with the Gateway85 Community Improvement District for preliminary engineering on improvements to the Interstate 85 interchange with Beaver Ruin Road, also known as State Route 378.

Left and right turn lanes will be added to on and off ramps, increasing the traffic volume the intersection can handle, according to the State Road and Tollway Authority. A southbound lane on Beaver Ruin will be extended 1,100 feet through Shackleford Road. The project will reduce delays and backups on Beaver Ruin and the interstate, according to the SRTA.

ExploreGwinnett commuters stuck on I-85 for nearly 3 hours after tractor-trailer crash

The preliminary engineering phase of the project is expected to cost nearly $337,000 and the construction phase is estimated to cost nearly $1.5 million, according to the county.

Gateway85 CID will reimburse the county up to $150,000 in engineering costs and $600,000 in construction costs using SRTA grant funding, according to the agreement. The county’s financial contribution comes from the special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) program voters approved to begin in 2017.

ExploreMore stories about Gwinnett County

The county will finish engineering the project by July 2024, according to the agreement.

About the Author

Alia Pharr covers taxation and infrastructure in metro Atlanta.

Follow Alia Pharr on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28, was an artillery mechanic from Battle Creek, Mich. (Courtesy of U.S. military)

Credit: 3rd Infantry Division

Fourth U.S. soldier who went missing in Lithuania has been identified

The U.S. military on Wednesday identified the fourth American soldier from Georgia’s Fort Stewart found dead after going missing during a training mission in Lithuania.

Health care provider bankruptcy may stick rural Georgia with state prisoners’ medical bills

Public ambulance services and hospitals are owed $75 million from the now-bankrupt Wellpath. Some want the state to reimburse them.

3 of 4 U.S. soldiers who went missing in Lithuania have been found dead

Three of four U.S. soldiers who went missing in Lithuania have been found dead. The soldiers had been stationed at Georgia's Fort Stewart.

The Latest

Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28, was an artillery mechanic from Battle Creek, Mich. (Courtesy of U.S. military)

Credit: 3rd Infantry Division

Fourth U.S. soldier who went missing in Lithuania has been identified

A.M. ATL: More pain at the CDC

A.M. ATL: To ban phones in school, or not to ban?

Featured

The last Michelin Guide Awards ceremony took place at the Georgia World Congress Center on Monday, Oct 28, 2024.

Credit: Jenni Girtman

With new American South guide, Michelin highlights Atlanta – but not Georgia

The 2025 Michelin Guide featuring metro Atlanta will expand to include six southern states: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Atlanta police say woman made fake 911 call prior to Young Scooter’s death

The bizarre string of events that led to the Atlanta rapper’s death began when Demetria Spence made a fake call to 911, according to police.

Trump’s legal fees, religious liberty and DEI: What made the cut with Georgia lawmakers

Wednesday is the penultimate day of the 2025 Georgia legislative session. It’s expected to be busy as lawmakers rush to get their bills assigned to the House and Senate floor.

14m ago