The recent heavy rains caused flooding in some areas. They also caused delays in outdoor work projects. Late last week, the Georgia DOT confirmed heavy rains have delayed construction on Interstate 85 in Coweta County.

The nearly three-year project to widen I-85 from the Fairburn/Peachtree City exit south though Coweta and into Meriwether County was to have been completed by the end of 2009. Now, DOT says the stretch from Bullsboro Drive (Exit 47) north to Collinsworth Road (Exit 56) will not be completed by Dec. 31. The rains are to blame.

DOT won't give a timetable for finishing this work. They say "work is progressing."

The work south of Bullsboro Drive to Meriwether is ahead of schedule and will be completed on schedule.

While the work delay from Exit 47 to Exit 56 is a bummer for motorists who travel through Coweta, certainly the project is winding down and we hope there's a sense of urgency by DOT contractors to complete the work.

Meanwhile, motorists must continue to be aware of lane shifts and lane closures during this final stretch of construction. You can expect delays. Much of the work remaining from Exit 47 to 56 is around the interchange on- and off-ramps. There are still great dangers exiting and entering the highway around these ramps.

We all need to continue to drive with care in the construction zones. When construction is complete, those 50 mph speed limits will disappear and we will have a smoother, safer ride on I-85 throughout the county.