If you enjoy sitting in traffic and dodging orange construction barrels, then GDOT has a summer planned for you.
The Georgia Department of Transportation's summer construction list includes nearly 500 projects statewide, and is one of its busiest seasons so far.
Not all of the projects are in the metro Atlanta area, but many of them are.
GDOT Commmissioner Russell McMurry said it will be critical for drivers to plan ahead.
"We ask you to plan ahead and know before you go. By knowing what work we are doing and where we are doing it, you can minimize your travel time and your frustration," McMurry said in a news release.
GDOT offers tips on how you can survive the summer construction season.
- Plan ahead. Before you get into your car – call 511 or visit 511ga.org for real-time information about statewide road conditions.
- Seek commuting options like carpooling, GRTA, MARTA or county transit.
- Be flexible — if your employer agrees, consider teleworking, a compressed work week or flextime. Find Georgia commuting options at www.gacommuteoptions.com.
- Obey the rules in work zones – pay attention, slow down and watch for workers. Keep in mind that work zones are not always stationary.
Here are some off the projects planned for each county. More projects for each county and statewide can be found here.
Cobb/Cherokee
Projects: Northwest Corridor Express Lanes; adding toll lanes and reversible lanes along I-75 from Akers Mill Road to Hickory Grove Road, and along I-575 from I-75 to Sixes Road
Lane closures: Weeknights: 9 p.m. - 5 a.m. Weekends: 9 p.m. - 5 a.m.
Timeframe: until October 2018
Cobb
Projects: Diverging diamond interchange, Ga. 3 at Windy Hill Road; construction of multiuse bridge over I-285
Lane closures: weekdays, weeknights, and weekends
Timeframe: March 2017; Aug. 31, 2017
DeKalb
Projects: Reconstruction on I-285 at Ga. 155/Flat Shoals Road, including noise barriers
Lane closures: Weeknights 9 p.m. - 5 a.m.; weekends 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday
Timeframe: through November 2017
Forsyth
Projects: Widening and reconstruction on Ga. 20/Buford Highway beginning at Samples Road and extending to James Burgess Road
Lane closures: Single lane closures from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays and from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekends
Timeframe: through May 31, 2019
Fulton
Projects: Bridge preservation on I-85 at 10 locations in the county
Lane closures: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays; 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. weeknights and weekends
Timeframe: through December 2016
Gwinnett
Project: Widening and construction of Ga. 20 east of Burnette Trail to Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
Lane closures: Single lane closures between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday-Thursday and between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. weekends
Timeframe: through June 1, 2017
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