Years of traffic headaches are about to pay off for drivers in and around Hall County. Two new bridges are opening to traffic this week, but a third span's opening is delayed because of weather.
Georgia Department of Transportation officials told Channel 2's Christian Jennings that because it rained over the weekend and again Monday morning, they weren't able to finish laying down the stripes.
They need the roadway to be really dry in order for the type of striping to stick.
“Sometimes when the weather doesn’t cooperate with us, we have to kind of roll with it and decide today’s not the day,” said GDOT spokesperson Katie Strickland.
People who drive through Hall County every day thought the Exit 14 bridge over Interstate 985 in Flowery Branch would open Monday, but
Mother nature had other plans.
“This morning it was also sprinkling and in order for us to have the striping adhere to the concrete the way we need it to we have to have a dry surface,” Strickland said.
The GDOT told Jennings that the new plan is to open the bridge at some point this week.
The exit ramps opened over the summer, but the bridge opening was delayed a few times because of weather and strength test issues they had to fix.
Hall County drivers say putting up with the construction has been tough but the bridge is needed because of all the growth they've seen over the years.
“I’ve lived here since I was 10 and I’ve watched this place boom very quick,” said driver Susan Grindle.
“I think it will help a lot because people are trying to get from one end to the other and you can do it so much quicker that way,” Hall County resident Destiny Floyd said.
The GDOT said another Hall County bridge is set to open Tuesday -- the Longstreet bridge over Lake Lanier.
“We definitely need to do that cause if we don’t keep up with the growth and get our roads ready for what’s happening then we’re all going to wind up creeping around like snails,” Floyd said.
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