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Published Monday, June 30, 2008 in Opinion
It would be a good idea to avoid travel along dangerous Interstate 85
Editorial
It's time for Coweta County residents to avoid travel on Interstate 85, if possible. In less than a week, there are been three massive multi-vehicle traffic accidents on the interstate in our county that have jammed traffic for hours.
Each of these major wrecks took place in highway construction areas. Stormy weather may have contributed to two of the pileups.
Even before these recent multi-vehicle accidents, authorities reported a significant increase in wrecks on the interstate within the past year. For well over a year, every mile of I-85 in Coweta -- plus a stretch south of Coweta in Meriwether and a much longer stretch in South Fulton north of Coweta have been undergoing construction. That construction will continue at least for another 18 months. The scheduled deadline is for the work to be completed by the end of 2009. Too often construction deadlines are not met.
As the construction has progressed, more barriers have been erected. There have been recurring lane changes and shifting of traffic. When the new inside lanes that are now being constructed are completed, workers will begin rebuilding the outside lanes. We will experience more and more lane changes and more and more barriers during the next 18 months.
With all this work, it's obvious that more accidents will occur. When weather is bad, the chances for an accident is substantially greater.
The bottom line is I-85 in our area is an accident waiting to happen.
That's why local motorists must strongly consider alternative routes to the interstate. The most obvious choice would be U.S. 29, which runs the length of our county. There are other alternatives depending on where you are going.
We suggest Coweta motorists consider alternatives to I-85. The dangers are too great otherwise.
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We need to build our commercial businesses in Coweta so we can employ more people. This way, we keep our residents off I-85 altogether. I landed a job out of my home and only drive I-85 two Fridays a month.
Posted by Non-commuter at 1:15 AM
I've been commuting to Columbus daily for over three years now. Down I-85 to I-185 to SR80; that's EIGHTY miles one way of which SEVENTY are in a construction zone. I have seen more stupidity on the road to last a lifetime. A good portion of that is from law enforcement heading for the State Law Enforcement Command College. There's a teleworking light at the end of my tunnel. The result being only physically going to Columbus one a week. And I'll be driving my F-150, too.
Posted by Every day at 3:16 PM
Oh, and you guys share some of your alternative routes to avoid the construction. We might as well have some fun sharing the ways to avoid it. It might explain traffic all over the county!
Posted by Already there at 11:55 PM
I guess I've been avoiding the expressway for about 2 years now. And now even more. I even travel the bypass and gladly wait!. Now an article because of the history of the construction and accidents do we see an article advising us to avoid 29 MILES of construction. And for all you people that think that speeders are gonna stop and that's the answer you're NUTS!! They don't care. TAKE HEED and AVOID!! This project was so poorly planned that at this point the DOT person should be FIRED!!!
Posted by Already there at 11:46 PM
If people would slow down, pay attention and pull their cell phone out of their ear perhaps EVERY road would be safer.You can't multi-task going 80 MPH in a construction zone while it is raining!
Posted by Hang Up and Drive at 12:57 PM
No, the problem is not the road, it's the folks who drive 90 miles an hour through the construction zone. I drive it every day and it never ceases to amaze me how foolish people drive in that area.
Posted by Bill at 11:19 AM
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This weekend
7/7/2008
Link To This Comment
Did you see our section of the interstate this weekend? I know it was a holiday weekend, but everytime I passed over the overpasses and it had been raining, it was backed up. That was about 4 times! Still avoiding!!
Posted by Flash5 at 1:57 AM