One full week of rush hours has passed since the new State Route 20 bridge over Highway 316 opened last Saturday. The bridge, which is 10 lanes wide, including six travel lanes and four turn lanes is a big part of a $37.4 million project along the 316 interchange.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of the bridge, is now commuters don’t have to sit at an intersection to enter Highway 316 from SR 20, they can use the on-ramps.
In addition to the bridge, SR 20 was widened to three lanes in each direction between Hurricane Shoals Road and Reynolds Road during this phase of the overall project.
What does this mean for drivers?
“Previously this section of 20 was only two lanes in each direction with one short left turn lane onto 316,” said Teri Pope of the Georgia Department of Transportation. “Much more traffic can flow more efficiently through the area.”
So what has been the impact of traffic now that commuters have had a week to get used to the new bridge and ramps? From my observations as a traffic reporter, there has been no clear impact on Highway 316. Last week we saw similar delays on Highway 316 that we saw before the bridge opened. There was, however, a direct impact on traffic on SR 20. I turned to some of my co-workers who used the new bridge last week.
“I used it several times,” said WSB Radio reporter Sandra Parrish. “What a relief for GA 20 commuters.”
WSB-TV reporter Tony Thomas agreed.
“Biggest change on 20 is no lane shifts. Better flow,” Thomas said. “Seems to have improved the traffic flow.”
The DOT has noticed a change as well.
“Congestion at peak travel times is less because of the new capacity,” Pope said.
Traffic relief on Highway 316 should come after the next phase of the project is completed.
“Now a contractor is removing dirt that used to support SR 20,” Pope said. “There was about a 600 foot long section of 316 mainline that we couldn’t lower until we moved 20 traffic onto bridge. Crews are lowering that part of 316 now, moving tons and tons of dirt then will pave the lower through lanes of 316. Once that is done, 316 traffic can be moved off ramps to 20 and back to 316.”
The key to the whole project is eliminating the backups that occur at what will be the former “stop light” intersection of SR 20 and Highway 316. Not only will traffic move more smoothly, but the interchange should be safer for commuters.
“By eliminating signals and separating traffic by creating an interchange, safety is greatly improved,” Pope said. “Most crashes on 316 occur at signals. Limited access also allows more traffic to flow efficiently through the area, very similar to an interstate.”
It’s a long project that is not yet over, but if last week was any indication, traffic on Highway 316 and SR 20 should be greatly improved when all is said and done.
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