316/85 bridges opening

GAINESVILLE - Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl calls it "monumental" for northeast Georgia. It's the opening of the new "fly-over" bridges at the Georgia 316/I-85 interchange.

Linnenkohl says opening the new bridges - which is scheduled this weekend - means eliminating the current merge from 316 West into the "fast lane" of I-85 South.

Crews will begin the transition work Friday night and the new bridges should be open by mid-afternoon Saturday.

The work is part of the mammoth reconstruction of the interchange.