Georgia Department of Transportation has awarded 37 contracts for statewide construction and maintenance projects totaling over $82.7 million. These projects were advertised for bids in May and awarded on June 3.

Taking care of conditions on existing infrastructure across the state is Georgia DOT’s first obligation. Over 58 percent of the total awards – about $48.4 million – are for road resurfacing and maintenance projects.  In June, the largest investment - valued at almost $13.8 million - is a major resurfacing and maintenance of a six-mile stretch of I-75/I-85 (Downtown Connector) from just south of University Avenue to the Brookwood Interchange in Fulton County. The completion date is April 30, 2017 and the contractor is C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc. of Marietta. Construction is anticipated to start this summer.

Bridge maintenance and construction account for an investment of almost $23 million – about 28 percent of the total awards. This includes construction of four new bridges: Dawson County on SR 136 over the Etowah River; Hancock County on SR 16 over Little Shoulder Bone Creek; Brantley County on SR 32 over Little Satilla River Overflow; and Newton County on SR 36 over the Yellow River. Rehabilitation of existing bridges in various locations in Bartow, Gordon, Cherokee, DeKalb and Fulton counties are also included.

The $7.9 million Newton County bridge, the second highest value contract awarded this month, includes .46 miles of construction of a bridge and approaches. The project was awarded to E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc. of Snellville and has a completion date of May 31, 2018. Funds for this project come from bridge bonds authorized by the Georgia Legislature.

Statewide safety upgrades, accounting for $11.1 million in contracts, include signing, striping and pavement marking projects. These include a $4.2 million investment in signing upgrades at various locations in Candler and Chatham counties in southeast Ga. and operational improvements and installation of video detection systems on SR 400 at SR 140 (Holcomb Bridge) in Fulton County.