Georgia

[Tom958]

That's a really short ramp from southbound 400 to westbound 369!

[Tom958]

Today I drove up to the in-laws' via I-85 through the HOT (nearly complete) and widening-reconstruction out to GA 53 (just started) construction zones, I was surprised to see extensive milling and asphalt repaving underway north of Hamilton Mill, in the area of the widening project. Moreover, the newly-striped lanes are about three feet further from the median than the existing lanes, about what you'd expect if the two newly-repaved lanes were intended to be the outer lane and shoulder of the completed project. The finished product would thus be similar to I-475, which was finished in 2010 or so.

For whatever reason (maybe reading the project concept reports a couple of years ago), I thought that the idea was to remove and replace all of the existing pavement with new concrete as was done on I-20 at Augusta, but that's clearly not the case. Or, if it ever was, it isn't anymore.

The widening contract also includes replacement of three non-interchange bridges over the freeway, the interchange bridges having been replaced years ago. The legacy bridges were left in place on the otherwise-similar I-20 and I-475 projects. Perhaps there'll be enough new paving added to create a clearance problem, and it was decided not to raise 55+-year-old bridges.

[D-Dey65]

A couple of U.S. Route questions;

Why aren't there any End US 82 signs on US 17 at I-95?


How is GDOT doing with their work on the Cleveland Bypass?

[afguy]

Glad to see this project underway finally...

The project length is only half a mile, but the impact will be huge, especially for commuters. According to Richmond Hill data, a high majority of residents commute to work every single day with an average 25 minute drive.

"It will not land on the backs of those homeowners that are already here in Richmond Hill. That's thinking ahead,"  Rep. Stephens said. "That's real good planning by the city."

Georgia DOT plans to host a groundbreaking ceremony sometime this month.

You won't see the final product on Belfast Keller until October 2020. That's GDOT's official completion date.

http://www.wtoc.com/2018/10/02/gdot-adding-i-exit-belfast-keller-rd-bryan-county/

[Tom958]

On Sunday I drove I-85 from GA20 into SC. In the HOT lane construction zone, the third general traffic is now open in each direction. Northbound, the new overhead signage has long indicated that the third general traffic lane would be terminated by the usual means: an exit only at Hamilton Mill Road. Doing this would avoid a double forced left-side merge of both HOT lane and general traffic lane. However, at the last minute, it's been decided to try the double forced merge after all. The exit only panels have been removed from the overheads, and I believe that the sign at the Hamilton Mill Road exit has been fully replaced with one with the arrow on the side instead of the bottom and no room vertically for an exit only panel. Wow.

EDIT: Actually, the overhead shown in this Streetview has been replaced with the ground-mounted sign you see beyond.

The HOT lane will end about a mile before Hamilton Mill Road, and the third general traffic lane will end almost simultaneously with the Hamilton Mill exit, almost as if the exit and lane-end tapers are complements of each other.

My last post mentioned the replacement of the three legacy non-interchange bridges as part of the widening project out to GA 53. I didn't see any progress on that as yet, but there are two other such replacements underway outside the project area: one between 53 and Commerce, the other in distant Franklin County. Could it really be that these prosaic and lightly-traveled bridges are in distress structurally?

[afguy]

The Savannah/Hilton head International Airport is looking at major upgrades to the I-95/Airways Ave Interchange by constructing two flyover ramps at the interchange.

On Tuesday during the inaugural State of the Airport address, executive director of the Savannah Airport Commission, Greg Kelly, outlined plans to construct one or two flyovers near the intersection of Interstate 95 and Airways Avenue to alleviate traffic congestion and provide better access to the terminal building.

"We have a problem we have to solve. (The current traffic) not only creates an inconvenience for people trying to get into Pooler, but it creates a real inconvenience for people trying to get into the airport,"  Kelly told the crowd of dozens gathered at the Perry Lane Hotel.

″... The airport built this interchange in the early 1990s, so it was there for the 1994 opening of the current terminal building. It's our problem to fix, but we're going to have partners that will work with us on it."

The first step, a comprehensive study that was launched in partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, is already in motion and should take about a year to complete.

The initial phase of the study will look at several factors including, traffic counts and potential new traffic volumes based on growth and land use data before the project could move on to the state and federal levels for any approval or funding.

Kelly hopes to have the flyover in place within the next five years.

"This is a priority project for us,"  he said.

"We're excited about moving forward with that."

https://www.savannahnow.com/business/20181009/savannah-airport-hopes-to-add-flyovers-for-better-access

[afguy]

Residents have expressed concern about heavy congestion and the high number of deadly accidents that happen around the I-16, I95 interchange. This project is GDOT's $319 million attempt to fix that.

GDOT tells News 3 Wednesday morning it expects to have a construction office by the end of the month.

At a committee meeting Wednesday, the project's chief engineer told GDOT's board members the contractor is still expected to break ground in the spring of 2019.

Project plans show GDOT will replace two dangerous loop ramps with two flyover ramps where I-16 meets 1-95.

The project also adds turning lanes at intersections near the interchange, better lighting, and sensors in the highway.

https://www.wsav.com/news/local-news/i-16-expansion-project-enters-next-phase/1530972722

[afguy]

Updated rendering of the I-16/I-95 interchange..

Interstate 16/Interstate 95 Interchange Reconstruction Project-Savannah by brandon walker, on Flickr

[wriddle082]

Updated rendering of the I-16/I-95 interchange..

Interstate 16/Interstate 95 Interchange Reconstruction Project-Savannah by brandon walker, on Flickr

Are these new flyovers for 95SB to 16EB, and 16WB to 95SB?

[afguy]

Updated rendering of the I-16/I-95 interchange..

Interstate 16/Interstate 95 Interchange Reconstruction Project-Savannah by brandon walker, on Flickr

Are these new flyovers for 95SB to 16EB, and 16WB to 95SB?

Yes.

[afguy]

Another update on the I-16/I-95 Interchange project. According to a news story on WSAV, instead of building two flyover ramps, GDOT will be a turbine interchange. It will be the first of its kind in Georgia and will be similar to the I-85/I-485 interchange in Charlotte,NC.

Renditions show those plans have slightly changed. Instead of replacing existing ramps with flyover ramps, the construction company -- Reeves Construction Company -- is now building a turbine ramp.

It's the first of its kind in the state of Georgia and a way to reduce costs.

https://www.wsav.com/news/local-news/exclusive-important-changes-new-artist-rendition-of-i16-i95-interchange-project/1546291473

[afguy]

The groundbreaking for the new I-95/Belfast Keller Road interchange in Richmond Hill was today. The interchange will open in October 2020.

Officials broke ground on the long anticipated I-95 Belfast Keller Interchange during a ceremony Wednesday outside the South Bryan Administrative Complex.

Proponents say the $18.9 million project will drive economic development, ease congestion on Highway 144 and improve public safety by giving commuters another route to the interstate.

Work is expected to be complete in October, 2020. The project has been talked about for decades, officials said during Wednesday's ceremony.

"I wasn't sure that I would ever see it happen,"  former Bryan County Commission Chairman Jimmy Burnsed said. "We ran into so many obstacles. I knew that it would happen one day, but I didn't know that I would be around to see it."

https://www.bryancountynews.com/news/groundbreaking-new-i-95-interchange-belfast-keller/

[mvak36]

Another update on the I-16/I-95 Interchange project. According to a news story on WSAV, instead of building two flyover ramps, GDOT will be a turbine interchange. It will be the first of its kind in Georgia and will be similar to the I-85/I-485 interchange in Charlotte,NC.

Renditions show those plans have slightly changed. Instead of replacing existing ramps with flyover ramps, the construction company -- Reeves Construction Company -- is now building a turbine ramp.

It's the first of its kind in the state of Georgia and a way to reduce costs.

https://www.wsav.com/news/local-news/exclusive-important-changes-new-artist-rendition-of-i16-i95-interchange-project/1546291473

So this is going to be a partial turbine?

[Gnutella]

GA 316 update: A month ago, the speed limit on GA 316 was reduced to 55 MPH from just east of Carl-Bethlehem Road to a point about half a mile east of GA 81. The intersection of GA 316 and GA 81 was relocated slightly to the west on what appears to be a temporary alignment. Apparently the overpass will be built on the original GA 81 alignment. A long retaining wall is beginning to take shape in the northeastern quadrant of the construction zone, where the westbound off-ramp will go. There seems to be more progress in the northern (westbound) half of the project than the southern (eastbound) half.

[afguy]

J.R. Allen needed to be widened years ago. Glad to see a study is being done now

Facing a traffic bottleneck on J.R. Allen Parkway from Bradley Park Drive into Phenix City, the city's Planning Department won approval Tuesday for the Georgia Department of Transportation to conduct a $200,000 study on the roadway.

Columbus Council approved the agreement during Tuesday's meeting on the corridor also known as U.S. 80. The study will determine whether an additional lane is needed in both directions and examine the interchanges to see if they warrant improvements.

The east-west corridor averages up to 60,000 vehicle trips per day in some locations on the four-lane highway. Traffic stalls during the rush hour in the afternoon as motorists try to return home to Phenix City from Columbus.

https://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/article222359850.html

[afguy]

The money will help pay for an interchange at Ga. 11 — an estimated 10,000 cars a day pass through the intersection. The state will build a bridge to allow Ga. 316 traffic to continue over Ga. 11.

The work on Ga. 11 will extend about 0.4 miles. On SR 316, the work will span about 1.1 miles.

Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Transportation grant late Thursday.

https://www.ajc.com/blog/commuting/feds-award-million-for-316-interchange/lFfcejKpGERgcDYxccewTK/

[Gnutella]

The money will help pay for an interchange at Ga. 11 — an estimated 10,000 cars a day pass through the intersection. The state will build a bridge to allow Ga. 316 traffic to continue over Ga. 11.

The work on Ga. 11 will extend about 0.4 miles. On SR 316, the work will span about 1.1 miles.

Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Transportation grant late Thursday.

https://www.ajc.com/blog/commuting/feds-award-million-for-316-interchange/lFfcejKpGERgcDYxccewTK/

Good call. GA 81 was the worst intersection on GA 316 in Barrow County, but GA 11 was not much better. I still wish they'd build an overpass for Carl-Bethlehem Road, though, so there'd be a signal-less drive in Barrow County from Patrick Mill Road to GA 53, and only two traffic signals from Patrick Mill Road all the way to the edge of Athens.

[Tomahawkin]

Anyone know about the GA 20 widening progress in Gwinnett and Forsyth county? Haven't been on that road in 18 months but IMO GA 20 Should be a minimum of 6 lanes its entire route (along with a Lawrenceville bypass) since plans to build the Arc were killed a decade ago

[Tom958]

Anyone know about the GA 20 widening progress in Gwinnett and Forsyth county? Haven't been on that road in 18 months but IMO GA 20 Should be a minimum of 6 lanes its entire route (along with a Lawrenceville bypass) since plans to build the Arc were killed a decade ago

The widening's been finished for a while. Google's satellite view hasn't been updated, but Streetview from a year and a half ago shows the new lanes open with work still in progress. I guess the Sugarloaf Parkway extension would qualify as a Lawrenceville bypass if if ever gets built, which I doubt.

[Tomahawkin]

I agree. They should address a Lawrenceville bypass ASAP with all the new home building going on out there. Its better to be proactive instead of reactive...Thanks for the info.

[architect77]

PLEASE EVERYONE CONTACT GDOT AND REQUEST THAT THEY RE-EMBRACE CANTILEVERED OVERHEAD SIGNS!

Because all future projects will be crammed into existing right-of-way of Atlanta freeways...

Supporting single signs on both sides of the road is asainine, costs twice as much, clutters up the once attractive freeways...

and make Georgia look as if it doesn't understand basic engineering.

GDOT confirmed with me that they no longer cantilever signs, which are efficient, elegant, and not extreme feats of engineering.


The rest of the world can manage to inspecting them every few years for safety, but Georgia cannot.


Please join me in pressuring them to stop wasting money on ugly 2-post gantries which now number in the hundreds on Atlanta freeways. Thank you!

[Tomahawkin]

They just did the sign bridges at 285 and Flat Shoals with the supprts that can be climbed upon. You can take it to the back that the backsides of those signs will be littered with graffiti before Summer hits

[architect77]

They just did the sign bridges at 285 and Flat Shoals with the supprts that can be climbed upon. You can take it to the back that the backsides of those signs will be littered with graffiti before Summer hits

California used to put barbed wire below the signs due to even the fronts of the signs being tagged.

Honestly I don't care as much about that but the signs are the state's voice talking to the public.

They connote so much unspoken judgement about how civilized the state and country are.

AT LEAST GDOT IS DOING A BETTER JOB MAKING OVERHEAD SIGN ASSEMBLIES MORE VISUALLY LEVEL.

I requested this for many years, because so many in Atlanta lean to the left or the right, which looks like something on Hee-Haw, not good for Georgia.

[Tom958]

AT LEAST GDOT IS DOING A BETTER JOB MAKING OVERHEAD SIGN ASSEMBLIES MORE VISUALLY LEVEL.

I requested this for many years, because so many in Atlanta lean to the left or the right, which looks like something on Hee-Haw, not good for Georgia.

After wondering about it for thirty years, last year I shot the elevations of one at Spaghetti Junction and found that it was two feet and three inches out of level. A friend asked me about another one, but I said I wouldn't check it. If it looks like it's massively out of level, it probably is.

[architect77]

We've got to convince GDOT to stop this embarrassing, wasteful avoidance of cantilevered signs. If they're worried about collapse, just use the monolithic poles like Western states & sink it in a concrete rooting. It won't fall then.

IMG_0703 by Stephen Edwards, on Flickr

Crooked gantries everywhere in Atlanta---downtown connector Northbound after Grady curve, West Paces exit, I-20 at I-285 Lithonia, all in Gwinnett on I-85.

But I finally got this monstrosity removed about 5 years of requests:
Road and gantry incongruent, got it adjusted- bottom pic:

crookedjimmycarter - Copy by Stephen Edwards, on Flickr
85 by Stephen Edwards, on Flickr