Motorists who frequent Highway 27 on Taylor Ridge are familiar with seeing orange traffic barrels blocking the right lane heading north. The lane closure has caused issues for both locals and Georgia Department of Transportation for years, as the asphalt has buckled and shifted due to heavy rainfall in the past few years. Earlier this year GDOT blocked the northbound lane to keep vehicles off the lane while GDOT engineers plan their next steps.
GDOT officials have been working to find a permanent solution to the issues causing the road to crack, though work on any approved project is still months away. The geology in this location presents a number of challenges from an engineering perspective. Adding to the difficulty is that any permanent work will require engineers to dig into the rock below the soil, a layer that extends 70 feet below the surface.
The Taylor Ridge stretch of Highway 27 has experienced these issues on the northbound side for more than 60 years. In the past, GDOT’s repairs to the outside lane would last for years. However, recent repairs to the affected lane have only worked for weeks, or even days, at a time. GDOT is working to find the most cost-effective permanent solution to this ongoing problem.
“This is not a simple repair,” said GDOT District 6 Engineer Grant Waldrop. “We’re trying to find a way to repair the road that will make Highway 27 safe and accessible far into the future.”
In the meantime, engineers are designing an interim plan to prevent additional damage to the roadway during the upcoming winter months when the wet weather could cause more cracks in the pavement.
“We are designing a permanent solution,” Waldrop said. “We want to get the road stabilized in the interim while we design a way to fix the road that is both long-term and cost-effective.”
Until that repair is completed, motorists should expect the lane closure to remain in place for the foreseeable future.
Georgia Department of Transportation plans, constructs and maintains Georgia’s state and federal highways. We’re involved in bridge, waterway, public transit, rail, general aviation, bike and pedestrian programs. And we help local governments maintain their roads. Georgia DOT is committed to providing a safe, seamless and sustainable transportation system that supports Georgia’s economy and is sensitive to its citizens and its environment. For information on the Department of Transportation, visit http://www.dot.ga.gov
