Provided the weather cooperates, the Georgia Department of Transportation plans to shift traffic onto the new roundabouts at Highway 9 (SR 9) and Dawson Forest Road on Monday, Feb. 15.
The project is the first double roundabout for Northeast Georgia's District 1, according to engineers with Georgia DOT.
The traffic shift will place motorists in the permanent pathway for the roundabouts, even though work will continue in the middle of the project for the truck apron, landscaping trees/bushes and installation of the splitter islands.
No lane closures are expected, but motorists are encouraged to be aware of the change and to drive cautiously in the area until they become familiar with the new set-up.
Engineers say if there is inclimate weather, the traffic shift could be delayed until later in the week.
Project history
Initially, there were two intersections on State Route 9, both providing provided right turn access to Dawson Forest Road via a connector street. There were also two intersections on Dawson Forest Road prior to the main intersection and both provided left turn access to State Route 9 via a connector street. This project replaced the existing intersections with two single-lane roundabouts for a project length of 06 miles. The two roundabouts were constructed independent from each other since the existing intersections are offset from each other. The roundabouts consist of a 140-ft inscribed diameter, 20-ft circulating lane, a 15-ft wide truck apron and a 70-ft diameter center island. Curb and gutter were installed along the outside of the roundabouts with a mountable curb along the inside for the truck apron.
