New life for old concrete

GAINESVILLE - All that old, broken-up concrete piled along Interstate 985 in Hall County at Exits 8, 20, and 24 is getting a new lease on life.

The concrete, which was torn from the roadbed as part of the upgrade of those exits, will be recycled for use in erosion control at or near drainage systems.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) says it will save $65,000 in material costs alone by reusing the 5,400 tons of concrete.

"It is over 30-years-old, original to I-985, so we didn't want to use it structurally but there are dozens of ways we can utilize the concrete instead of trashing it and filling up our landfills," said Larry Dent, GDOT District Engineer.