Traffic may be a little more congested at the already busy intersection of U.S. Highway 278 and Ga. Highway 142, as reconstruction takes place to widen the intersection.
Traffic along Ga. 142 has been shifted entirely to the western lanes, to allow the Georgia Department of Transportation to reconstruct the eastern side of the road, said GDOT Area Engineer Bryan Gibbs. In addition, the traffic signal at the intersection of Ga. 142 and U.S. 278 will be shifted west. The western part of Ga. 142 has already been resurfaced.
He said this next phase will probably last about six months, depending on how quickly the utility infrastructure, gas, sewer and water pipes and electrical lines, can be moved.
Gibbs said GDOT workers will do their best to avoid affecting commuters more than necessary, including staying out of active lanes whenever possible. Traffic control personnel will be on site to assist, according to a GDOT press release.
When this current phase is completed, he said other traffic shifts will likely occur, but GDOT will alert the media at that point, Gibbs said.
The entire project will consist of resurfacing and widening the Ga. 142 and U.S. 278 intersection and surrounding area, GDOT Assistant Area Engineer Robert Moon said previously. Ga. 142, from the Wendy’s south past 278 down to the entrance of Ingles, and U.S. 278, from Mamie’s Kitchen west beyond the old Wal-Mart, will both be widened to a total of four lanes and will have medians and turning lanes added.
Pittman Construction, the company which received the GDOT bid, began work in February, and Moon said previously the project is expected to take up to 24 months to complete. The contract has a final completion date of Oct. 31, 2012, and the total cost is just more than $12 million.
