LAVONIA — After being closed for almost five months for renovation, the Welcome Center on Interstate 85 in northeast Georgia will re-open to travelers Friday morning.
Teri Pope with the Georgia Department of Transportation said the center has had a complete overhaul.
"We knew that the Welcome Center had aged, but it was beat up," said Pope. "Literally, every major system inside the Welcome Center needed to be replaced."
The 16,640 square foot Welcome Center opened in 1996.
Initially, the facility was supposed to reopen in September, but GDOT said major plumbing issues were discovered after work started, which required the installation of a new water line into the building. Delays in material deliveries also slowed work.
New HVAC, new drywall and painting are all part of the renovations. The Welcome Center is also more environmentally responsible with LED lighting inside and outside the building, and low flow, automatic flush valve toilets.
"The best thing for motorists, probably, is that the bathrooms will work correctly," said Pope.
The welcome center is located on the southbound side of the interstate in Lavonia.
Daily operations of the Welcome Center are handled by the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2015/12/355681/welcome-center-on-i-85-in-ne-ga-to-reopen-friday