Exit 16 reconstruction moves closer to completion

OAKWOOD - If all goes as planned, the I-985 construction project around Exit 16 will move a couple of steps closer to completion next week.

State DOT officials say the plan is to shift the southbound lanes of I-985 from SR 13/Atlanta Highway to SR 53/Mundy Mill Road back to their original positions by Tuesday afternoon's rush hour. A lane closure will be installed from noon to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday to enable crews to shift traffic.

In addition, crews must re-stripe the collector distributor lanes. The outside lane on the southbound collector distributor lanes will be closed Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for re-striping work. Crews will also be removing the old striping and re-striping the ramps on I-985 south at SR 13 and SR 53.

"Crews will be working every day on I-985 south from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to get the southbound lanes into their final configuration. Please note that we will only have one lane of traffic on the collector distributor lanes in the final configuration. Two lanes are there now only because they are carrying interstate traffic," said DOT District Engineer Russell McMurry.

On Thursday, crews will open by mid-morning the new entrance ramp from SR 13/Atlanta Highway onto I-985 south. After the ramp is open, crews will open the second left turn lane from SR 53/Mundy Mill Road the southbound interstate.

The entire project, originally scheduled for completion December 31, is running well ahead of schedule, according to McMurry.