I-85 Widening, Phase III Project Opening Additional SB Lane

JACKSON COUNTY, GA - Weather permitting, Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) contractors will open an additional lane on Interstate 85 southbound from mile marker (MM) 137 to MM 143, this Saturday, August 24. This follows the recent opening of the same segment of I-85 northbound as well as an additional 1.5 mile northbound segment this week.

Overnight Friday, crews will do final work removing barriers and completing striping to open the widened segment of the roadway from MM 143 to MM 137 on I-85 southbound. Following this overnight work, the new lane will be accessible to motorists.

The 13-mile project is widening I-85 northbound and southbound from two to three lanes from US 129 to US 441. Construction is also replacing and widening four mainline bridges in two locations. This builds upon the widening completed as part of the previous I-85 Widening, Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects. These projects are part of the long-range plan to widen I-85 to the South Carolina state line increasing capacity and improving traffic flow through the corridor.

In the next phases of construction, crews will finalize paving work on the remaining segment of I-85, approximately 6 miles, and complete work on the new bridges.

The anticipated opening is weather dependent, and Georgia DOT will provide updates via social media channels. Motorists are advised to drive cautiously through the work zone obeying the posted speed limits.

ADVISORY: The exact time may change due to weather conditions. Before heading out, get real-time information on work status and traffic conditions. Call 511, visit 511ga.org, or download the Georgia 511 app.

The information in this media release was accurate at the time of publication. Additional project information is available at I-85 Widening, Phase III Design-Build Project.