In a news release Thursday, the Georgia Department of Transportation announced overnight work began Wednesday night to improve the Abernathy Road northbound ramp to Ga. 400. The ramp will be widened to two lanes and extended to improve merging onto Ga. 400 north.

“We appreciate the work that Georgia DOT is doing to enhance mobility in the Perimeter market,” said Yvonne Williams, president and CEO of the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts. “This project will improve the efficiency of the ramp and allow more vehicles to move quickly from Abernathy Road to Ga. 400 north,” she said. “That should help reduce the bottleneck that often occurs in that area during rush hours.”

Work is planned to occur overnights as weather permits. Crews are scheduled to work Thursday then will not work again until Tuesday as construction project lane closures are prohibited this weekend because of the Labor Day holiday.

One lane will remain open at all times although traffic is shifted toward Ga. 400. Please slow down and use caution while driving through the work zone.

The contract for this work also includes extending the third lane northbound from its current end north of McGinnis Ferry Road to the Big Creek Greenway Bridge, giving commuters two new miles of roadway in Forsyth County. C.W. Matthews Contracting Inc. of Marietta was awarded the contract for for both projects, at a cost of $3.38 million with a proposed completion date of Jan. 31. The 400-Abernathy project will cost $2.06 million.

Information: visit http://www.dot.ga.gov.