ClickThePaper.com

The Georgia Department of Transportation announces work planned overnights on SR 11/Broad Street in Winder this week for the installation of new water and sewer lines. A single lane closure begins at 9 p.m. and continues to 6 a.m. the next day, Tuesday night and Wednesday night only.

Both nights, the outside northbound lane will be closed from Athens Street to Midland Street. These are the only lane closures planned this week and will occur if weather cooperates. Parking spaces will be closed overnight as crews work in these areas. Retaining walls are under construction along the eastern side of SR 11/Broad Street in front of Loco’s Restaurant, Skips Hawaiian Ice and American Pest Control.

Continue reading Downtown roadwork in Winder Tuesday and Wednesday nights

Traffic on southbound Interstate 85 was backed up for several hours as crews worked to upright an overturned tractor-trailer between Exits 127 and 128.

The southbound lanes of the intersection were shut down  as the trailer which was carrying building materials was uprighted by two large wreckers. The damaged vehicle was escorted through Braselton and Hoschton by Braselton Police. Oil was also spilled on the roadway so cleanup efforts meant the route was closed for additional time.

Traffic was being diverted with a Braselton Police car with blue lights flashing prohibited vehicles from entering the southbound ramp on Highway 53.

The accident is being investigated by the Braselton Police Department.

Debbie Purvis captured these images as the tractor-trailer was being uprighted.

The Georgia Department of Transportation and C.W. Matthews Contractors are anxious to get the intersection improvement project at Highway 124 and 211 finished and open for motorists to use, according to Teri Pope, GDOT’s Communications Officer for District One – Northeast Georgia.

However, rain has hampered the project timeline. C.W. Matthews had been granted an extension to May 10 but the added time has not provided for sufficient progress.

“The contractor has asked for a time extension,” said Pope. “GDOT is reviewing their request now.”

A section of Highway 124 remains unpaved after an Atlanta Gas line which had not been located was struck during construction. Work there had to stop until AGL came to relocate the line.

On Wednesday afternoon, Pope sent out a press release announcing “the beginning of the end of work on the SR 211 at SR 124 intersection improvement project in Braselton. If weather cooperates, all new lanes will be open for use by Friday night.”

Continue reading Contractor, GDOT anxious for 124-211 intersection improvement to wrap up

If you’ll be riding through Jefferson on Thursday, be sure you’re buckled up and on your best driving behavior.

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety’s network safety meeting being hosted in Jefferson will mean approximately 100 law enforcement officers from across Northeast Georgia will be in town.

Jefferson Police Chief Joe Wirthman reminded the Jefferson City Council that the safety gathering, hosted annually with dinner and training, will find law enforcement officers conducting roadblocks starting at 6:30 p.m. at Damon Gause Parkway and Highway 11.

“We’ll also be downtown checking for seatbelts,” said Wirthman, who pointed out that the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has provided new seatbelt use percentage signs which will soon begin displaying monthly usage percentages.