Georgia Magazine - December 2022 - 8

GEORGIA News
Compiled by Jennifer J. Hewett
K
Statewide transportation
improvements underway
nown colloquially as " the Perimeter, "
Interstate 285 in metro Atlanta is one of
the busiest highways in Georgia, with an
estimate of more than 2 million drivers each day.
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)
recently announced the closure of lanes in both
directions on the north side of I-285 to allow for
bridge demolition and reconstruction at Glenridge
Drive, State Route 400 and Peachtree-Dunwoody
Road as part of the Transform 285/400 improvement
project.
Although additional congestion and delays are
predicted, recently opened connecting lanes should
provide some relief. Even so, GDOT officials recommend
that travelers avoid I-285 in this area during
the project, which is expected to take eight months.
Motorists should exercise caution when
Motorists can expect lane
closures and detours in
DeKalb and Fulton
counties as part of the
Transform 285/400
project.
entering highways and interstates, as it takes only
one stalled vehicle or other incident to create major
delays. Motorists also are advised to use smartphone navigation
systems or 511 Georgia, GDOT's travel and traffic information
system that can be accessed by mobile app (511 Georgia) or
through the website 511ga.org.
Near Savannah, the 16@95 Improvement Projects will
reconstruct interchanges on I-16 and I-95 and widen I-16 from
I-95 to I-516. The addition of a collector-distributor (CD) lane
to I-95 northbound will improve the flow of traffic because CD
lanes run parallel to the main travel lanes of a highway and
allow for access to roads or entrance ramps.
A new CD lane also will be added to improve traffic safety
at the interchange of I-95 and I-16. As Savannah and the coastal
region continue to grow, more roads likely will be added.
For more information about traffic conditions and highway
projects, visit dot.ga.gov.
-Victoria Chan
Georgia glimpses
* Report Joro spiders. Researchers at the University
of Georgia in Athens are asking citizen-scientists to
gather data on where Joro spiders can be found
across the Southeast. The Joro Watch project will
jumpstart an online monitoring program that can be
used for public awareness, education and to better
understand the current spread and distribution of
the arachnid. Visit jorowatch.org for information
and to submit photographs.
8 Georgia Magazine December 2022
* Continuing a musical legacy. Officials broke ground
in September for the new Otis Redding Center for the
Arts in Macon, a 15,366 square foot space for musical
education. The center, named for the legendary
musician and Macon native, will include learning
labs, collaborative spaces, practice rooms and a stage
for performances by students ages 3 to 18. Learn
more about the Otis Redding Foundation at
otisreddingfoundation.org.
GDOT crews prepare to drill
under the eastbound lanes of
I-285 at Glenridge Drive.
CARLY MIRABILE
GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
http://www.511ga.org http://dot.ga.gov http://www.jorowatch.org http://www.otisreddingfoundation.org
Georgia Magazine - December 2022

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