On the Net
• Get 141 Done: www.get141done.org.
• Roadwork info: www.dot.state.ga.us
• Get 141 Done: www.get141done.org.
• Roadwork info: www.dot.state.ga.us
For south Forsyth resident Dan Slott, three years is long enough.
The widening of Hwy. 141 between Hwy. 9 and the Fulton County line -- a $50.7 million project that was supposed to be finished by July 31 -- is less than 70 percent complete. And there's no end date in sight.
“It’s taking way too long and it seems that areas that can be easily completed, for some reason, remain not completed,” Slott said. “We’re all really thrilled and excited that the project is continuing, and it’s going to make a huge difference, but that’s another part of the frustration.
"It’s going to make such a difference in the quality of life for people, that there’s a heightened sense of ‘let’s get it done.’”
With that in mind, the Creekstone Estates resident has launched a political action committee to help move the project along.
Started last week, the Get 141 Done PAC is a response to "a lot of the frustration I hear from our residents and neighbors, as well as my own.”
The group's Web site encourages residents and merchants who travel the 6.2-mile construction path to push state and local officials, as well as the transportation department, to ste up the “grossly mismanaged project.”
Slott, who drives from Ga. 400 past Sharon Road daily to and from work, said the construction has lengthened his commute time by about 30 to 40 percent.
He's not alone in his frustration. In fact, it appears most everyone involved -- from motorists to the state transportation department -- is irritated by the pace of the project that began in 2006.
“This has been a very frustrating construction project for us, as well as for the users of the roadway,” said Teri Pope, spokeswoman for the state DOT. “We’re very thankful to be at 67 percent and we’re working hard to push this construction and try to get it out of [motorists’] way.”
The slow relocation of utility lines has not helped, but Pope pointed to planning as the main culprit for the delay.
HDR, the company hired to design the widening project, has closed its Atlanta road design office. A team from its Philadelphia branch was sent to finish the work, which ended up requiring many revisions.
“HDR wasn’t in Atlanta anymore, so we ended up having to do those revisions in house by the DOT road design staff in Atlanta,” Pope said. “But that staff already had a full workload and were having to add this work in as they had time.”
The department is working with contractor C.W. Matthews to reach a new completion date.
In the meantime, construction will continue Monday, weather permitting. For the next week, contractors will pave the left side of Hwy. 141 where it crosses Sharon Road.
Beginning June 20, traffic will be diverted to the newly paved section of the highway from Sharon Road to Ronald Reagan Parkway.
Next month, a top layer of asphalt will be poured between Sharon Road and Hwy. 9. Once completed, the section will have four lanes, including turning lanes.
Pope said the department empathizes with motorists.
“It’s taking a lot longer than any of us have wanted,” she said. “We want to get it done and get out of your way as soon as possible.”
E-mail Jennifer Sami at jennifersami@forsythnews.com.
The widening of Hwy. 141 between Hwy. 9 and the Fulton County line -- a $50.7 million project that was supposed to be finished by July 31 -- is less than 70 percent complete. And there's no end date in sight.
“It’s taking way too long and it seems that areas that can be easily completed, for some reason, remain not completed,” Slott said. “We’re all really thrilled and excited that the project is continuing, and it’s going to make a huge difference, but that’s another part of the frustration.
"It’s going to make such a difference in the quality of life for people, that there’s a heightened sense of ‘let’s get it done.’”
With that in mind, the Creekstone Estates resident has launched a political action committee to help move the project along.
Started last week, the Get 141 Done PAC is a response to "a lot of the frustration I hear from our residents and neighbors, as well as my own.”
The group's Web site encourages residents and merchants who travel the 6.2-mile construction path to push state and local officials, as well as the transportation department, to ste up the “grossly mismanaged project.”
Slott, who drives from Ga. 400 past Sharon Road daily to and from work, said the construction has lengthened his commute time by about 30 to 40 percent.
He's not alone in his frustration. In fact, it appears most everyone involved -- from motorists to the state transportation department -- is irritated by the pace of the project that began in 2006.
“This has been a very frustrating construction project for us, as well as for the users of the roadway,” said Teri Pope, spokeswoman for the state DOT. “We’re very thankful to be at 67 percent and we’re working hard to push this construction and try to get it out of [motorists’] way.”
The slow relocation of utility lines has not helped, but Pope pointed to planning as the main culprit for the delay.
HDR, the company hired to design the widening project, has closed its Atlanta road design office. A team from its Philadelphia branch was sent to finish the work, which ended up requiring many revisions.
“HDR wasn’t in Atlanta anymore, so we ended up having to do those revisions in house by the DOT road design staff in Atlanta,” Pope said. “But that staff already had a full workload and were having to add this work in as they had time.”
The department is working with contractor C.W. Matthews to reach a new completion date.
In the meantime, construction will continue Monday, weather permitting. For the next week, contractors will pave the left side of Hwy. 141 where it crosses Sharon Road.
Beginning June 20, traffic will be diverted to the newly paved section of the highway from Sharon Road to Ronald Reagan Parkway.
Next month, a top layer of asphalt will be poured between Sharon Road and Hwy. 9. Once completed, the section will have four lanes, including turning lanes.
Pope said the department empathizes with motorists.
“It’s taking a lot longer than any of us have wanted,” she said. “We want to get it done and get out of your way as soon as possible.”
E-mail Jennifer Sami at jennifersami@forsythnews.com.