The Georgia DOT has wrapped up awarding more than $112.6 million to fund 34 statewide transportation construction contracts, with 72 percent of that money covering "routine maintenance" needs, including resurfacing 159 miles of roadway and several bridge rehabilitation projects, the agency said.
GDOT noted it advertised those 34 contracts in March, with bids received on April 20 and funds awarded on May 4 and May 7 to the lowest qualified bidders.
The largest contract is the mix is an investment of $37.6 million to resurface 19 miles on Interstate 75/State Route 401 in Gordon and Whitfield counties, GDOT said, while the largest construction investment is a $12.1 million contract for building a "diverging diamond interchange" or "DDI" on I-285/SR 407 at SR 6 in Fulton County.
"The DDI design shifts the flow of traffic to the opposite side of the road to reduce points of traffic conflict, allowing vehicles to turn left onto on-ramps without stopping," GDOT noted in a statement. "It is effective for interchanges with a lot of turning movements, especially those with heavy truck traffic."
The agency added that the existing bridge over I-285/SR 7 will be widened and shoulders will be rebuilt, with construction expected to begin this summer and to be completed by Nov. 30, 2019.
GDOT that this $112.6 million in funding brings the 10-month total construction contract spend for fiscal year 2018 to $834.7 million.