Q&A on the News

Q: What has stopped construction of the additional third lane on Ga. 400 in Forsyth County? They stopped the construction of the third lane on the southbound side about six months ago. All road-building equipment has been removed. It looks like the bridge widening on Ga. 400 over the Lake Lanier tributary (between exits 15 and 16) shows no construction progress as I drive by daily. —Jerry M. Dean, Gainesville

A: The contractor is primarily working on the northbound sections at this time, a Georgia Department of Transportation spokeswoman told Q&A on the News.

“The northbound work is scheduled to be totally completed in June 2017, and after that, the contractor will return to the southbound side of the widening project. The southbound is scheduled for completion in October 2018,” the DOT’s Jill Goldberg wrote in an email.

The project was set up to be completed in phases. The contractor is completing sections of approximately 4 miles long at a time, she wrote. Once a section is complete, it can be opened to traffic while they continue work on the next segment.

“Construction on the bridge is continuing, and Georgia DOT is working very closely with Forsyth County on all aspects of the projects, since it is one of those approved by county voters in the bond referendum,” she wrote.

Goldberg added that recent weather has not been good for paving activities, “but we are coming into the paving season, when weather temperatures hold at a warm enough level for the paving material.”