Georgia

[Eth]

Anyone know what number was given to the new Cleveland bypass?

GDOT design plans suggest it (is? will be?) signed as US 129/GA 11 Bypass, with mainline 129/11 remaining on the old route. (Search for project IDs 162390- (yes, with the hyphen) and 0010194 for more.)

[adventurernumber1]

Earlier today when I was reading about (in the South Carolina thread) "new I-85" in Spartanburg, SC undergoing some pavement reconstruction, which came as a surprise when considering the not-incredibly-old-age of the stretch of highway (and that the pavement is concrete).


This sparked a similar question in my mind, in relation to Georgia.

A little over a year ago, they resurfaced Interstate 75 from Dalton, GA to the Tennessee line (which was asphalt, and was resurfaced with asphalt). Most of the bridges that I-75 goes on for this stretch date back to the mid-80's or so, which is presumably when the road was widened. My question is that lately, as in starting several months ago (probably early 2017), there has been frequent work on all of these said bridges, but I cannot for the life of me figure out what it is. Often times, this road work causes backups and traffic jams when they usually do it at night. Whatever they're doing is making the striping on the bridges fade, and it is becoming a necessity to restripe it after this work is done. Also, there are many faint twisty lines on the pavement on the bridges, but they don't look like the typical tar and sealant "squiggly lines" that you often see on pavement (they are much fainter, and each individual one is on average much shorter in length). Unfortunately, I don't think there is much coverage of this in my camera roll, or if there is, I am unable to find it and post it at the moment. They have even been doing this on extremely new bridges like the one at Exit 353 (GA SR 146; Rossville, Ft. Oglethorpe) - which, the bridge is from 2009. This work has been so frequent lately, and I think that IIRC, some bridges have had the work happen to them more than once. It surprises me greatly - the frequency and impact of this work, because I didn't think that the bridges were in real bad shape (but maybe I'm just ignorant). I honestly have no idea what they are doing on all of these bridges, none of which seemed to be in desperate need of repair - can anyone tell me what exactly it is?

 

[adventurernumber1]

Also, during the aforementioned visit, my uncle told me that they will start working on an interchange for Georgia Highway 316 and Georgia Highway 81 very soon. I am incredibly excited for this!     

Here is an article I just read on this news: http://www.barrowjournal.com/archives/11904-Contract-awarded-for-Ga.-316Ga.-81-project.html

The Georgia Department of Transportation has awarded a $26.4 million contract for 2.2 miles of new interchange construction on Ga. 316 at Ga. 81 in Barrow County.
The project, awarded earlier this month to CMES, Inc., of Norcross, also will include a bridge that will grade separate the existing at-grade intersection by raising Ga. 81 over Ga. 316, the DOT announced Friday.
Interchange entrance and exit ramps will provide access to and from Ga. 316 to the cross road of Ga. 81, according to a news release. The project, which is intended to alleviate heavy traffic and reduce the number and severity of crashes, is expected to be completed Oct. 31, 2020.

This is quite a busy intersection, so this construction is definitely needed! 

Also, the growth surrounding this intersection, in terms of businesses and development and such, is absolutely unreal and happening fast. For the past few times my family has made this trip to see family near Athens, we have eaten breakfast at the McDonald's right off of this intersection on the day that we leave to go back home. Also, I went with my cousins to see a movie at the Carmike Cinemas nearby a few years ago. There truly is a lot going on in this area with the sprawl, and there must be much more to come.

[Finrod]

Does anyone know why they're taking down trees next to I-575 near Canton?  I doubt it's to widen the road, because they foolishly didn't save room for a third lane south of Canton (where it's desperately needed) when they put in the silly Lexus lane in the median.

[Tomahawkin]

I have no idea. Im still baffled as to the fact that the toll lane on 575 is only 1 lane. The lane increase should have been two lanes on that interstate. That 1 toll lane is a band aid on a bullet wound again. Especially with people moving here from Florida, Texas and California from the natural disasters of fires and tropical storms. Anyone in those states who loses their home moves here...

[lordsutch]

Does anyone know why they're taking down trees next to I-575 near Canton?  I doubt it's to widen the road, because they foolishly didn't save room for a third lane south of Canton (where it's desperately needed) when they put in the silly Lexus lane in the median.

Probably a safety project to increase the clear recovery zone. Any widening project would be in the STIP after all.

[PColumbus73]

I have a question about Georgia:

Why does Georgia use two traffic lights for one protected left turn lane? Also, I noticed in northern Atlanta (particularly Perimeter Center) and in a few places in the Savannah area that Georgia seems to be following South Carolina and using a double-red signal for single protected left turn lanes.

[Rothman]

Does anyone know why they're taking down trees next to I-575 near Canton?  I doubt it's to widen the road, because they foolishly didn't save room for a third lane south of Canton (where it's desperately needed) when they put in the silly Lexus lane in the median.

Probably a safety project to increase the clear recovery zone. Any widening project would be in the STIP after all.

Unless pursued with non-federal funding.

[Gnutella]

Also, during the aforementioned visit, my uncle told me that they will start working on an interchange for Georgia Highway 316 and Georgia Highway 81 very soon. I am incredibly excited for this!     

Here is an article I just read on this news: http://www.barrowjournal.com/archives/11904-Contract-awarded-for-Ga.-316Ga.-81-project.html

The Georgia Department of Transportation has awarded a $26.4 million contract for 2.2 miles of new interchange construction on Ga. 316 at Ga. 81 in Barrow County.
The project, awarded earlier this month to CMES, Inc., of Norcross, also will include a bridge that will grade separate the existing at-grade intersection by raising Ga. 81 over Ga. 316, the DOT announced Friday.
Interchange entrance and exit ramps will provide access to and from Ga. 316 to the cross road of Ga. 81, according to a news release. The project, which is intended to alleviate heavy traffic and reduce the number and severity of crashes, is expected to be completed Oct. 31, 2020.

This is quite a busy intersection, so this construction is definitely needed! 

Also, the growth surrounding this intersection, in terms of businesses and development and such, is absolutely unreal and happening fast. For the past few times my family has made this trip to see family near Athens, we have eaten breakfast at the McDonald's right off of this intersection on the day that we leave to go back home. Also, I went with my cousins to see a movie at the Carmike Cinemas nearby a few years ago. There truly is a lot going on in this area with the sprawl, and there must be much more to come.

Last weekend I noticed on GA 316 westbound that they have orange road work distance signs approaching GA 81, but far enough away to indicate that the construction zone begins about a quarter of a mile away from the intersection, hinting that ramps will be involved. Too bad they aren't also building an overpass for Carl-Bethlehem Road. Traffic on that road ought to access GA 316 via GA 81 once the interchange is complete.

[lordsutch]

The latest version of the proposed roundabout design at US 41 & US 129 on the south side of Macon has been revealed; Houston Avenue would not connect to the roundabout as previously planned, so the roundabout would now be 3-legged instead of 4-legged. There's no exact timeline for construction; GDOT plans to use safety funds to build it, so it wouldn't depend on any potential T-SPLOST happening.

Speaking of T-SPLOST, there is some talk of reviving the 1% Middle Georgia regional transportation sales tax proposal. The regional commission has been putting together a potential list of projects which looks pretty sound including a lot of useful things - connecting the Fort Valley bypass to GA 96 east of Fort Valley, widening GA 96 from there to I-75 and from US 129 to I-16, and design & ROW for the Sardis Church Phase 2 project (a new bridge over the Ocmulgee between Macon and Robins AFB, connecting to I-16, a potential routing for the Fall Line Freeway to finally bypass Macon). However, Bibb is talking about trying to pass another 1% sales tax hike to lower property taxes, and I can't see people voting for two sales tax hikes in rapid succession so we'll see what happens.

[adventurernumber1]

Earlier today when I was reading about (in the South Carolina thread) "new I-85" in Spartanburg, SC undergoing some pavement reconstruction, which came as a surprise when considering the not-incredibly-old-age of the stretch of highway (and that the pavement is concrete).


This sparked a similar question in my mind, in relation to Georgia.

A little over a year ago, they resurfaced Interstate 75 from Dalton, GA to the Tennessee line (which was asphalt, and was resurfaced with asphalt). Most of the bridges that I-75 goes on for this stretch date back to the mid-80's or so, which is presumably when the road was widened. My question is that lately, as in starting several months ago (probably early 2017), there has been frequent work on all of these said bridges, but I cannot for the life of me figure out what it is. Often times, this road work causes backups and traffic jams when they usually do it at night. Whatever they're doing is making the striping on the bridges fade, and it is becoming a necessity to restripe it after this work is done. Also, there are many faint twisty lines on the pavement on the bridges, but they don't look like the typical tar and sealant "squiggly lines" that you often see on pavement (they are much fainter, and each individual one is on average much shorter in length). Unfortunately, I don't think there is much coverage of this in my camera roll, or if there is, I am unable to find it and post it at the moment. They have even been doing this on extremely new bridges like the one at Exit 353 (GA SR 146; Rossville, Ft. Oglethorpe) - which, the bridge is from 2009. This work has been so frequent lately, and I think that IIRC, some bridges have had the work happen to them more than once. It surprises me greatly - the frequency and impact of this work, because I didn't think that the bridges were in real bad shape (but maybe I'm just ignorant). I honestly have no idea what they are doing on all of these bridges, none of which seemed to be in desperate need of repair - can anyone tell me what exactly it is?

Regarding this question I had earlier upthread, I think I may have partially figured out the answer. Very recently, when I've traveled on Interstate 75 in Georgia north of Dalton, I have noticed that some of these bridges they had been doing work on (which were concrete on the surface) have now had asphalt pavement of some sort paved on the surface. This has happened on quite a few bridges, and it has even happened quite a few times on I-75 just south of Dalton, GA (especially in and near Resaca). I have pictures of most of it all, but I am currently unable to upload any of them to show y'all (due to some temporary problems with my phone and its storage and such), unfortunately.   



____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Also, I was once again down in the Atlanta Area several weeks ago, and I have a question that came to mind during that trip: while it's not anything enormous (at least for the time being), what is the construction that they are doing on Interstate 75 on the bridge over Lake Allatoona for? I have a few pictures of this, but once again, I am currently incapacitated in terms of being able to present those photos right now. In the pictures I took, it shows the left yellow edge stripe has been moved in a way that the far left lane is now closed (out of three lanes), as the yellow line sits on the dashed white stripes dividing the left and middle travel lanes - there is also a construction-related white solid stripe painted over the dashed white stripes dividing the middle and right travel lanes. Does anybody know what they're doing here - is it a minor, temporary quasi-project, or does this new sight foreshadow some very large construction project that will be occurring on this stretch of I-75?

Also, sorry for a mouthful, but it would definitely be a lot more coherent and concise if I was able to show you my pictures and I didn't have to manually describe it visually, piece by piece, so I apologize for that..

   

EDIT: It is also worth noting that I took note of this sight while traveling down I-75 Southbound in the afternoon - I went on the same stretch of road going Northbound much later that day, but it was a little ways into the night, and I remember nothing about what the status of the road looking like was going in that direction.

[Georgia]

the only possible project on I-75 in Bartow County i can find on the books for the last 3 fiscal years is "bridge rehab at 3 locations on I-75 and 2 on I-59" so I would guess that is what it is.

[Tom958]

The merge of I-85 and I-985 has been reworked. Now, an added lane has appeared on the left about 2000 feet before the Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road exit, and said exit is now right lane exit only. Alarmingly, there's no overhead signage announcing the new lane drop, and I didn't see any signage for it at all, just the old sign on a temporary mount close to the ground. I hope everybody's paying attention out there.

I can't imagine why anybody thought this was a good idea, even if it was signed properly. 

[Gnutella]

GDOT needs to start using BGSs on secondary roads at Interstate junctions. My family and I went to see the Christmas lights at Lake Lanier Islands last night, and my father almost missed the turn onto the I-985 NB on-ramp from GA 20 westbound because all GDOT has are some dinky little green signs suspended by cables over the road. Here's what the BGSs should read on GA 20 at I-985...

WB:

| I-985 NORTH | Gainesville | -----> |

| I-985 SOUTH TO I-85 SOUTH | Atlanta | <----- || GA 20 WEST | Cumming | ^ ^ |

EB:

| I-985 SOUTH TO I-85 SOUTH | Atlanta | -----> |

| I-985 NORTH | Gainesville | <----- || GA 20 EAST | Lawrenceville | ^ ^ ^ |


And here's what the BGSs should read on GA 20 at I-85...

NB:

| I-85 NORTH | Greenville | [45° arrow] |

| I-85 SOUTH | Atlanta | [45° arrow] || GA 20 NORTH | Buford | ^ ^ |

SB:

| I-85 SOUTH | Atlanta | [45° arrow] |

| I-85 NORTH | Greenville | [45° arrow] || GA 20 SOUTH | Lawrenceville | ^ ^ |


GA 20 should switch between NB/SB and EB/WB at GA 324/Gravel Springs Road. Small BGSs that read GA 20 EAST BECOMES GA 20 SOUTH and GA 20 NORTH BECOMES GA 20 WEST should be posted at this intersection.

[Tom958]

Here's what the BGSs should read on GA 20 at I-985...

While you're at it, might as well wish for a pony. A chocolate brown one with a sandy-colored mane. Ooh, pretty! 

Wait: I'm too lazy to find, steal, and upload the photos I've seen, but excellent BGS's have been installed on Thornton Road/GA 6 approaching I-20, since the last Streetview in May 2017. Perhaps we'll start seeing them in other key locations.

[Tom958]

I stumbled across this interesting bridge on Greenville Street, the former route of GA 109, about a mile and a half from downtown LaGrange. Built in 1937, it crosses the railroad at a very flat skew angle- - there are two straddle bents in the middle, flanked east and west by cantilevered steel bents, then standard-for-the-time concrete bents, then lengthy end spans supported on wood pilings with cross bracing, like railroad trestles.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.0434453,-85.0069297,3a,60y,334.59h,88.91t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQrfiKRO5P0942PjuqUa2Gw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I took a bunch of photos even though it was a dreary day because the bridge is closed and I wasn't sure how long it'll be there. As it happens, a friend saw in the LaGrange newspaper that construction on its replacement will begin this spring. Hopefully I can make it over there on a blue sky day while the bridge is still there.

The bridge is badly deteriorated, with a mix of cracked concrete piers, rusted steelwork, and desiccated wood. Another friend spotted a clue as to why: a chalk mark made by a railroad inspector on one of the bent columns. His theory is that it was built by the WPA and given to the railroad because neither the state nor the city wanted it. So, it's been destroyed by neglect, and it's extremely unlikely that its replacement will be anywhere near as interesting, though I suppose I should keep an open mind about that.

Pretty good view of the western straddle and cantilevered bents. The steel bent girders and the spans are integrated to lower the profile and thus decrease the length of the bridge.


Outboard on the eastern side.


"Take my picture!" Yes, the bridge is high enough for double-stacked containers. Point of interest for rail enthusiasts: those are BNSF locomotives, operating from Fairburn, GA, to Birmingham via a line that branches off about two miles from here.

[roadman65]

Does anyone know when the stoplight that was erected at Paper Mill Road and Woodlawn Drive in East Cobb County will actually be activated as a stoplight, instead of just blinking red like it has been for over a month now?  It's great that they made it into a stoplight because the backups during rush hour coming into that intersection on Paper Mill are horrible, but when are they actually going to turn the silly thing on?

We have three stoplights in Kissimmee that have been on flash for almost twenty years or more.  Maybe their excuse is like Osceola County's is, that we have to do a study on it to see if the traffic is warranted.

Remember DOT's want hard facts and not user observations.  Just like in Tampa, FL where US 41 has long back ups at Fletcher Avenue due to a mistimed light there, the City of Tampa will have to conduct a detailed study on it to conclude that it needs just a simple timing adjustment that a worker can just study at a field level just by adjusting the time cycles and monitor for a couple of days, but you know they all have to do it by the book and waste time and money.

[Gnutella]

GDOT is busy cutting down trees in preparation for the GA 316/GA 81 interchange near Winder. They cut down everything on the west side of the intersection in December, and now they're working on the east side.

They should have also included an overpass (no interchange) for Carl-Bethlehem Road, but whatever.

[adventurernumber1]

GDOT is busy cutting down trees in preparation for the GA 316/GA 81 interchange near Winder. They cut down everything on the west side of the intersection in December, and now they're working on the east side.

They should have also included an overpass (no interchange) for Carl-Bethlehem Road, but whatever.

Looks like they are finally breaking some ground on that. 

I, too, wish that a simple grade separation would be provided with Carl-Bethlehem Road - and for that matter, the nearby Harry McCarty road as well. This area especially on Georgia Highway 316 in Winder is so, so very busy, and it has so much development that is only growing by the day. While even after many years of work, it sounds like GA SR 316 will purposefully not be fully limited-access (there will still be a few intersections here and there), this part in Winder is definitely deserving to have all grade separations, right there where all this development and mass growth is. I really do hope that they end up making it completely controlled-access near the new GA SR 81 interchange.

[Gnutella]

GDOT is busy cutting down trees in preparation for the GA 316/GA 81 interchange near Winder. They cut down everything on the west side of the intersection in December, and now they're working on the east side.

They should have also included an overpass (no interchange) for Carl-Bethlehem Road, but whatever.

Looks like they are finally breaking some ground on that. 

I, too, wish that a simple grade separation would be provided with Carl-Bethlehem Road - and for that matter, the nearby Harry McCarty road as well. This area especially on Georgia Highway 316 in Winder is so, so very busy, and it has so much development that is only growing by the day. While even after many years of work, it sounds like GA SR 316 will purposefully not be fully limited-access (there will still be a few intersections here and there), this part in Winder is definitely deserving to have all grade separations, right there where all this development and mass growth is. I really do hope that they end up making it completely controlled-access near the new GA SR 81 interchange.

Here's what I'd like to see GDOT do on GA 316 in the next 10 years:


1. Build overpasses over GA 316 at Hi-Hope Road and Progress Center Avenue. Reconstruct Hurricane Shoals Road from Hurricane Trail to Cedars Road to handle extra truck traffic. Build interchanges at U.S. 29 and Cedars Road. Close direct access to GA 316 from Hurricane Trail and Fence Road.

2. Complete the missing segment of Drowning Creek Road from Harbins Road to Tanners Road, including an overpass over GA 316 west of Oak Valley Road. Build a frontage road on the eastbound side of GA 316 from the new segment of Drowning Creek Road to the existing segment to give the Oak Valley Road and Williams Farm Drive subdivisions access to secondary roads. Close direct access to GA 316 from Oak Valley Road and Williams Farm Drive. Build interchanges at Harbins Road and the original segment of Drowning Creek Road.

3. Build interchanges at Kilcrease Road and Patrick Mill Road. Build an overpass at Carl-Bethlehem Road.

4. Build an interchange at GA 11. Build an overpass at Harry McCarty Road.

5. Completely rethink and reconfigure the junction of the Oconee Connector and the Athens Perimeter. Build an overpass at Virgil Langford Road.

6. Build an interchange at Jimmy Daniel Road. Build an overpass at Julian Drive.


These projects would make GA 316 a limited-access highway from I-85 to GA 11 near Winder, and from U.S. 78 to the Athens Perimeter, leaving only a lightly-traveled, 10-mile segment from GA 11 to U.S. 78 without upgrades. That segment can be upgraded in the longer term.

[afguy]

I was in Macon today and decided to take some photos of the progress being made on the I-16/I-75 interchange project. I must say, GDOT is moving fairly fast on the project. Already you can see the new bridges taking shape along eastbound I-16 and you can see the progress being made of the efforts to improve the nearby Pleasant Hill neighborhood.
Macon by brandon walker, on Flickr

Macon by brandon walker, on Flickr

Macon by brandon walker, on Flickr

Macon by brandon walker, on Flickr

A new park is being built in the Pleasant Hill neighborhood as part of mitigation project that GDOT is spearheading as part of the project.
Macon by brandon walker, on Flickr

Little Richard's childhood home was moved, renovated and turned into a community center as part of the mitigation project.
Macon by brandon walker, on Flickr

[adventurernumber1]

afguy, that is all looking pretty good so far. Thank you for the pictures! 

I am looking forward to seeing the progress in person myself very soon, when I am going on a trip to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina at the beginning of April 2018, during Spring Break. 

[afguy]

Thanks! This project was sorely needed and I'm glad to see the progress that GDOT is making on it. This new interchange will certainly change the look and feel of Macon for the better imo.

On another note, I was looking at some of the projects that GDOT has planned for Muscogee County over the next few years and some of the projects planned along J.R. Allen caught my eye. First, GDOT is planning to expand the Georgia Navigator system along the parkway between the Alabama state line and the Manchester Expressway. This project will go out to bid this year and will include cameras, electronic message signs and ramp meters. Here's a link to the concept report for this project:https://gtas.dot.ga.gov/0014016/Concept%20Reports/0014016_CR_JAN2017.pdf

The other major project planned for J.R. Allen will upgrade the existing signage along the parkway and add lighting to all the interchanges along J.R. Allen. Here is a description of the project from GDOT:

The purpose of this project is to address several issues identified in the Road Safety Audit of SR 22. Below are the recommendations: Update striping, signage and pavement markings throughout corridor, remove excess signs, Update overhead signage on SR 22, Install new RPMs, Repair rumble strips, Replace deflectors on guardrail and barrier, lengthen tapers, add signage to tight radii and provide additional pavement for truck turning movements, Install pedestrian facilities, Replace TP 1 RPMs w/TP 10 RPMs at SR 22 @ SR 219, Provide positive barrier between adjacent entrance and exit ramps, Re-sign and re-mark interstate ramps to be in compliance with FHWA recommends at SR 22 and SR 1/US 27. Consider double-mounting wrong-way signs, Proceed with test project to install radar-detection for LED wrong-way signs. Add wrong way arrow to pavement. Add additional chevron signs to loop ramps. Add right-turn lanes. Install lighting based on City of Columbus's lighting agreement.

http://www.dot.ga.gov/applications/geopi/Pages/Dashboard.aspx?ProjectID=0015150

[CanesFan27]

Take a trip along scenic Georgia 246 - which buzzes on both sides of the NC/GA State line before becoming NC 106.  Old gn.com page with photos from John Krakoff now on the blog.

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/02/a-scenic-drive-along-ga-246.html

[CanesFan27]

One more old gribblenation Georgia feature from the photos of John Krakoff - the Auchumpkee Creek Covered Bridge in Upson County

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/02/auchumpkee-creek-bridge-upson-county.html