Woodstock Starts Ridgewalk Parkway Interchange Improvement Project

WOODSTOCK, GA -- In an effort to improve right-turning traffic from Interstate 575 northbound onto Ridgewalk Parkway, the city of Woodstock has embarked on a project to improve the interchange that's approaching its five-year anniversary of opening to motorists.

City leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday to celebrate the start of the project, which will widen the right-turn lane at the intersection from the northbound exit ramp. This will allow vehicles to exit the ramp "more efficiently, thereby reducing congestion and wait times," the city added.

Woodstock also notes that by improving eastbound traffic flow, drivers turning left from I-575 to access the Brookshire neighborhood or Park 9 Apartments, for example, should be able to reach the traffic signal faster (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

Woodstock pursued the project with permission from the Georgia Department of Transportation, which granted the city a special encroachment permit. Canton-based Tucker Grading and Hauling was awarded the contract through the procurement process as the lowest qualified bidder.

The project starts this week and should take about 45 days to complete. Motorists should note that work will take place during non-peak hours.

City Manager Jeff Moon added Woodstock is also working with Cherokee County to allow some modifications to the overall intersection. This project, he added, is the first step in that initiative, as it didn't require a modification to the city's original permits.

Like Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch on Facebook!

The Ridgewalk Parkway interchange opened in November 2012, and is situated between Sixes Road and Towne Lake Parkway. Along with building a diamond-shaped interchange, crews also replaced the Ridgewalk Parkway bridge over the interstate, realigned Rope Mill Road to intersect with Ridgewalk Parkway and installed auxiliary lanes between the new interchange and the Towne Lake Parkway northbound entrance and southbound exit ramps.

GDOT in 2010 awarded a $17.1 million contract to C.W. Matthews to perform the interchange construction with a deadline to complete the project by Dec. 31, 2012.

Photo: From left to right are Mayor Donnie Henriques, Council member Bob Mueller, Council member Tracy Collins, City Manager Jeff Moon, Council member David Potts and Council member Warren Johnson. Credit: city of Woodstock