Bald Ridge Road in Cumming Closed

Several Forsyth County roads and at least one city road are closed temporarily for repair work.

The Georgia Department of Transportation reports approximately 1,000 feet of Bald Ridge Road from the intersection with Highway 9 in Cumming is currently closed through the end of the year. This section of the roadway is being rebuilt.

A detour is in place through the end of the year if the weather cooperates, according to a GDOT news release.

“The detour was necessary because of the grade changes and shifting of Bald Ridge to align with Mary Alice Park in the finished intersection," said Georgia DOT District Engineer Bayne Smith. "This 1,000 feet long section of Bald Ridge is expected to remain closed until December 31, 2012."

The signed detour route will direct traffic from Bald Ridge Road to Hill Street to South Hill Street to Allen Street to Highway 9/Highway 20 and back to the intersection.

This project was awarded to Baldwin Paving Company for $1,495,260.75 with a contract completion date of June 30, 2013.

Two county roads are also temporarily closed, Grand Avenue and Kelly Mill Road.

Grand Avenue is temporarily closed to through traffic to allow for the replacement of a failed primary outfall and re-construction of a secondary spillway under the road.

A portion of Kelly Mill Road is temporarily closed to through traffic to allow for the re-construction and extension of the culvert at Cheatham Creek. Kelly Mill Road will be closed to through traffic from Bethelview Road to Post Road at the culvert.

In addition, the Kelly Mill Road project will include the installation of turning lanes, the correction of grade deficiencies and the installation of curb and gutter with sidewalk on both sides of the roadway. The project will also upgrade traffic signals at Post Road and Bethelview Road to provide pedestrian signals and install a new traffic signal at the entrance of .

The overall project completion date is November 30, 2012.

“We are appreciative of motorists’ patience while this work is being completed,” said Director of Engineering John Cunard. “The new traffic signal at the entrance to the high school is anticipated to be a welcome addition to those who travel in this area.”

Both Grand Avenue and Kelly Mill Road are expected to re-open to through traffic by August 8, weather permitting.

The Grand Avenue and Kelly Mill Road projects are funded by SPLOST VI under traffic safety improvement projects. SPLOST, or Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, is a voter-approved, one-percent sales tax that has been in effect in Forsyth County since 1983. Forsyth County’s current SPLOST program, SPLOST VI, was approved by voters February 5, 2008, and went into effect July 1, 2008.

Finally, routine maintenance work is underway in north Forsyth County. A crew will mow Highway 369 and Highway 9, while another crew repairs a culvert on Highway 306.

Most activities will only require shoulder or median lane closures. A single lane closure and/or flagman will be utilized for culvert work. The scheduled work hours are from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Friday, June 1. This is a tentative schedule; if emergency response is needed at a crash scene or if emergency repairs are necessary this schedule will change, according to the GDOT.

The GDOT asks you to be especially attentive and cautious as you pass through construction work zones, slow down and always driving responsibly.

Each day, hundreds of Georgia Department of Transportation employees and contractors work on dozens of highway, bridge and intersection improvements throughout the state. Their work often brings them and heavy machinery in close proximity to travel lanes.

Fifty-seven Georgia DOT personnel and many more motorists, passengers and contractors’ workers have been killed in highway work zone accidents since 1973. 

Visit the GDOT Web site for more information.