Improvements Coming To 2 Major Intersections in Cherokee

WOODSTOCK, GA -- Two busy intersections will soon get a makeover designed to improve traffic flow for motorists in Cherokee County.

County Commissioners at their Jan. 3 meeting approved two contracts for improvements at the Highway 92 at Ragsdale Road/Claremore Drive and East Cherokee Drive at Holly Springs Parkway intersections.

The Highway 92 work will be done by Bartow Paving at a cost of $339,470.47.

The East Cherokee Drive-Holly Springs Parkway project was approved to be done by CMES, Inc., for $2.7 million.

The Highway 92 project calls for expanding the intersection to include dual left-turn lanes, a dedicated through lane and a dedicated right-turn lane on the southbound approach of Ragsdale Road to the highway.

Plans also call for a dedicated left turn lane on Claremore Drive. As expected, the traffic signal and phasing will be revised according to the new layout.

For the East Cherokee Drive project, motorist can expect the installation of dual left-turn lanes from Holly Springs Parkway to East Cherokee Drive eastbound as well as dual left turn lanes from East Cherokee Drive to Holly Springs Parkway southbound.

Those plans also include the construction of a right-turn lane from East Cherokee Drive to Mill Creek Road as well as the installation of a left-turn lane from the exit at Johnston Elementary School.

A total of nine bids were received for the Highway 92 work while the East Cherokee Drive received four proposals.

Cherokee County Public Works Director Geoff Morton said the county hopes to issue a notice to proceed for the East Cherokee Drive improvement project around Feb. 1. The contract period is 15 months from that date, which means the work should be substantially completed in the spring of 2018.

The Highway 92 project is part of a four intersection improvement package the county will roll out for that thoroughfare. Other planned improvements include:

• Highway 92 at Woodstock Road – installation of a right-turn lane from southbound Woodstock Road to westbound S.R. 92.
• Highway 92 at Robin Road – repaving and re-striping the intersection to provide a dedicated right-turn lane, thru-lane and left-turn lane from Robin Road southbound to S.R. 92.
• Highway 92 Bells Ferry Road – repaving, median modification and re-striping to provide dual left-turn lanes from northbound Bells Ferry Road to westbound S.R. 92. Bells Ferry Road southbound will also be repaved and re-striped to eliminate the confusion where the southbound thru-lane turns into a left-turn lane.

Morton said those projects are expected to start in February, and have a six-month time frame for completion.

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