Collins Hill bridge to open this weekend

A sign on Collins Hill Road in Lawrenceville informs drivers that a new bridge will open Friday to take traffic over Ga. Highway 316. (Staff photo: Camie Young)

Crews are expected to open the Collins Hill Road bridge over Ga. Highway 316 in Lawrenceville Friday, as part of a milestone in the Ga. 316/Ga. 20 interchange project. Georgia DOT spokeswoman Teri Pope explains the milestone.

Reaching a major milestone in the Ga. Highway 316/Ga. Highway 20 project, crews expect to open the Collins Hill Road bridge over Ga. 316 overnight Friday.

The commute to college will get a little smoother this weekend with a new bridge opening to carry Collins Hill Road traffic over Ga. Highway 316.

Construction crews will open the bridge overnight Friday, a milestone in the three-year construction program to unclog Ga. 316s busiest intersections, including Ga. Highway 20.

We built it one piece at a time and open each section as it is ready. As we finish a new piece of the interchange, we open it to traffic and then can work in the area traffic was previously using, said Harold Mull, a district construction engineer for the Georgia Department of Transportation. We are opening one lane of the new bridge in each direction this weekend so motorists can get accustomed to the change outside of the peak travel times.

The bridge which opens about six weeks after crews opened a bridge to take Ga. 20 traffic over Ga. 316 is 361 feet long and 94 feet wide with two lanes in each direction. As a major route to Georgia Gwinnett College, officials also designed the bridge with sidewalks and bike lanes to allow students to walk or bike to classes.

We appreciate the work of the Georgia Department of Transportation in making these transportation improvements, said Renee Byrd-Lewis, Georgia Gwinnett Colleges vice president for advancement. With the colleges continued growth, we are focused on ensuring better access to services and activities in the area. We look forward to the improved traffic flow around the campus.

While Ga. 316s exit ramps to Collins Hill will also open Friday, crews will have additional work to complete the entrance ramps, meaning drivers will have to take a detour to get on to Ga. 316 from that location.

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Collins Hill bridge to open this weekend