Georgia’s Forsyth County is one of America’s fastest growing areas. That’s good news and bad news.
For drivers stuck on GA 400 or I-985, more people means more traffic; especially when you try to get from GA 400 to I-985 south of Lake Lanier — where two divided four-lane highways on State Route 20 dwindle down to two lanes where SR 20 crosses the Chattahoochee River over an old two-lane bridge.
That bottleneck on State Route 20 between I-985 and GA 400 will be relieved by the GA Department of Transportation in several stages. The first will be the widening State Route 20 in Forsyth County from Samples Road and Trammel Road — about 3.5 miles south of GA 400 — southward to James Burgess Road, just north of that old Chattahoochee River bridge.
Work there will turn the two-lane road into a four-lane divided highway with sidewalks for 2.75 miles at a cost of $18.8 million and a completion date of November 30, 2016. The contract was awarded to C.W. Matthews Contracting, Inc. of Marietta and work is scheduled to begin this summer.
Georgia DOT Board Member Rudy Bowen, representing the 7th Congressional District, says, “State Route 20 serves as a major east west arterial with a principal crossing over the Chattahoochee River, linking Gwinnett and Forsyth Counties. The roadway is also a regional corridor, as one of three east west state routes crossing Lake Lanier. The widening of this section of the roadway will enhance traffic movement and safety for pedestrians as well as motorists on this critical east-west route. I look forward to finishing this work and providing the People of Georgia with four lanes of State Route 20 from State Route 400 to I-85.”
Once that SR 20 project is under construction, a total of 7.53 miles of SR 20 will be under construction in three projects from James Burgess in Forsyth County to Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Gwinnett County.
The 1.07 mile long project from James Burgess Road in Forsyth to Burnett Trail in Gwinnett County includes new bridges across the Chattahoochee River and sidewalks. The new parallel bridge will be south or downstream of the existing structure.
The contract for construction was awarded to C.W. Matthews Contracting of Marietta for $10.2 million. Work began June 12, 2013 and is required to be completed by May 31, 2016.
Gwinnett County DOT is managing the 3.71 mile long project from Burnett Trail to Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. This section will be widened to a four lane divided highway with sidewalks.
The contract was awarded to C.W. Matthews Contracting of Marietta for $31.8 million. Work began June 4, 2013 and road work is required to be completed by June 30, 2016.
E-mail updates are on these and other projects are provided by the DOT. Please e-mail [email protected].
For more information on Georgia’s transportation system, please visit www.dot.ga.gov or follow them on Facebook.
