Maintenance and construction crews with the Georgia DOT will begin extending the culvert underneath State Route 17/75 near Helen beginning this week.
In order to get this repair work complete, single lane closures will occur near Andrews Cove Campground between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. This work will be performed in stages over the next three months. Drivers should use extreme caution and be aware of signage and flagging operators in advance of lane closures along this route.
This project will initially remove the historical stones from the arches of the culvert. Georgia DOT has worked closely with department historians to ensure the stones are removed properly to preserve history with plans to replace them carefully after construction. The project will also add a 20-foot shoulder with 10 feet of the shoulder paved.
Repairing and improving these structures is vital at this time since they have never been replaced. Once reconstructed, maintaining the new wider shoulder and longer culverts will be easier and make driving through this curve safer for motorists.
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