Gwinnett awards contract to widen Sugarloaf Parkway near arena

Sugarloaf Parkway will be widened from four to six lanes between the Infinite Energy Arena entrance and I-85. VIA COUNTY DOCUMENTS

Sugarloaf Parkway will be widened from four to six lanes between the Infinite Energy Arena entrance and I-85. VIA COUNTY DOCUMENTS

A routinely congested thoroughfare near Gwinnett County’s Infinite Energy Arena will soon get some relief.

The Gwinnett Board of Commissioners awarded Tuesday a contract that will allow for road improvements on Sugarloaf Parkway between the arena and I-85. Under the nearly $2.8 million contract, Sugarloaf Parkway will be widened from four to six lanes.

A third southbound turn lane will also be added at Sugarloaf Parkway and Satellite Boulevard.

The contract was awarded to E.R. Snell Contractors. The project will be paid for using a combination of special-purpose local option tax dollars and contributions from the Sugarloaf Community Improvement District, according to county documents.

The area already sees heavy traffic and is likely to see more in the future, as the 120-acre megaproject known as Revel goes up nearby. The development is expected to include restaurants, shops and a movie theater, as well as a hotel and residences.

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