May 21 target date for finishing mountain road work

GAINESVILLE - Spring rains and cold weather have put a damper on finishing repairs to a freeze-damaged northeast Georgia highway.

The Georgia Department of Transportation said Wednesday 0.6 miles of State Route 348 is still closed to traffic due to pavement damage and is now not expected to reopen until May 21 at the earliest.

"At Hog Pen Gap this year's wet, cold winter damaged the asphalt to the extent that traffic cannot use the roadway at all," DOT Interim District Engineer Todd McDuffie explained. "Because of this damage, Georgia DOT closed part of Richard Russell Scenic Parkway. The damaged section of roadway has been removed. Crews are now rebuilding. We expect to finish the base by the end of this week. That just leaves paving for next week. Weather permitting, the repair work will be finished by May 21 and the roadway will reopen to traffic. Our preliminary cost estimate is $30,000 for the repair work."

State Route 348, better known as the Richard Russell Scenic Highway, is open to traffic to provide access to the trailhead at Raven Cliff's and to the Appalachian Trail on the White County side of the state route. In Union County, it is open to traffic to Tesnatee Gap but the apex of the mountain remains closed.

Hog Pen Gap s elevation is 3,800 feet. It rates among one of Georgia s highest roadway elevations.