Roads and Highways, Aerial View of the Construction of Interchange of Interstate 285 and Interstate 85

The AJC newspaper article, published in 1987, references the anticipated construction/finish of a highway conjunction and bridges, located in north Dekalb county. Alva Byrom, the director of construction for the State Department of Transportation (during this time period) describes this project as “monumental” but taking too long to be completed. With the massive increase of cars on the road, a project like this is crucial in enabling an efficient transportation system in a rapidly industrializing city. This improvement of highway networks in the late 20th century can be accredited to Thomas D. Moreland, who was appointed commissioner by the state highway board in 1975 (Lichtenstein Consulting). However, the project had been delayed due to dangerous weather conditions, like heavy rain and snow, which has also caused the collapse of some bridges while in construction. Despite these setbacks, the plan was finished in the later half of 1987, nearly a year after its original due date. Thanks to Moreland, his work included constructing more 6-lane highways and increasing some to 8-lanes, building 13 bridges, which totaled to upwards of 80 million dollars (Lichtenstein Consulting). Although expensive, the plan was intended to cut traffic time by almost 20 minutes, which will drastically affect the efficiency of transportation in a booming city. Not only cars and buses, but the plan was predicted to give motorists a safer way of entering and exiting major expressways, allowing for more versatility of transportation methods and less accidents. On the down side, some county officials worried that during the winter months when ice becomes more prevalent, more accidents are likely to occur on these bridges, making safety a huge issue. The ice would make it extremely dangerous for motorists, which may in turn lead to more lawsuits against the transportation department. Therefore, the department must dedicate more time and attention to salting down the roads to avoid this issue, which in turn may increase infrastructure spending.

“Historic Context of the Interstate Highway System in Georgia.” Georgia Department of Transportation, Lichtenstein Consulting Engineers, Mar. 2007, www.dot.ga.gov/AboutGeorgia/CentennialHome/Documents/Historical Documents/HistoricalContextof GeorgiaInterstates.pdf.