Beams to be set in Atlanta Hwy. Bridge over I-985

GAINESVILLE - The Georgia Department of Transportation will be moving forward next week on the Atlanta Highway Bridge construction over Interstate 985.

Georgia DOT spokeswoman Teri Pope said crews will work overnights Monday through Wednesday to set 24 beams into place over the interstate.

"Literally we'll have two cranes working together to move a beam that weighs about 50 tons up into the air and set it into place," Pope said.

She said the crews will be moving the beams from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., and lanes will be closed as necessary.

"The work will be done overnights because we want to do it at the times we have the least amount of traffic on the interstate," she said.

Pope said if the area receives the wet weather that is predicted for Monday, the construction will start Tuesday and continue nightly through Thursday.

The overall projected completion date for the bridge is Feb. 10, 2010. The total construction cost is more than $74.6 million.