The intersection of Pine Road, Ga. Highway 16 and U.S. Highway 29 near Interstate 85 and just up the road from the fairgrounds has long been a point of traffic congestion. But not for long.
The days of clogged traffic are numbered and, with the approval of the final right-of-way acquisition by the Coweta County Commission on Jan. 7, initial construction work to realign the intersection is expected to begin in the summer and be completed in January 2015.
The project will bring an entirely new look to the intersection. Most noticeable will be the replacement of the current zig-zag nature of the connection between Pine Road and Hwy. 16 with a straight alignment as the roads merge at Hwy. 29.
The new intersection will also be fitted with a traffic signal that will eliminate the sporadic but customary back-ups that bog down the traffic flow along Hwy. 29 when motorists traveling toward Newnan have to wait for others ahead of them to turn left onto Pine Road.
As for the intersection itself, traffic using Hwy. 29 will have two thru lanes and a dedicated left turn lane in both directions. Northbound traffic on Hwy. 29 will also have a right turn lane that merges onto Hwy. 16 while southbound traffic will be able to access Pine Road with the addition of a ramp.
The improvements to both Pine Road and Hwy. 16 will be nothing short of transformative.
Pine Road as it approaches Hwy. 29 will have two left turn lanes, one thru lane and a right turn lane.
Hwy. 16 as it approaches the intersection will have two thru lanes, a left turn lane and a right turn lane.
County officials said they expect the contract to be awarded this summer. The anticipated completion date is January 2015.
