COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Department of Transportation said a project that is a year behind schedule and $3 million over budget should wrap up at the end of the month.
Work is wrapping up on the interchange of Interstate 285 and Atlanta Road in Cobb County.
Some people wondered why it is taking so long when they remember rebuilding I-85 after the collapse in just a few months.
A GDOT spokesperson said many drivers who see long projects ask that question, but she said you really can't compare the two. But she does apologize that this project is a year off schedule and $3 million over budget.
"It started almost five years ago, and it's very frustrating, traffic is miles," said driver Donnell Warren.
Warren lives near the Cobb County construction project on Atlanta Road at I-285. For the last four years, crews have been working on the overpass, retaining walls and on and off ramps.
Warren said he wants to know when the work will be done.
"If I'm paying tax money to get these roads fixed, then we need some answers,” Warren said.
Another driver, who identified herself as Katrina, also said she wants answers.
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"There's too many delays and you can plan to get to work on time and it's like, it's terrible. That's all I can say,” Katrina said.
Both compare the project to the 2017 I-85 bridge collapse, which took less than two months to rebuild.
GDOT officials said you really can't compare the two projects.
"The 85 bridge rebuild is an emergency case scenario. You throw the money you need to throw at it to get it put back together, you throw the manpower at it you need to put it back together," GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale said.
Dale said I-85 was completely shut down and crews worked around the clock. With the Atlanta Road project, traffic continued to flow and crews went home for the evening. She said the $40 million project was stalled by a bad bridge design, a land dispute and weather delays.
"We want them to know how sorry we are for the inconvenience we've caused. Certainly, when we go into a project like this we want the ending the outcome to be," Dale said.
Dale said taxpayers will also be on the hook for the $3 million cost delays.
This project should finally be done at the end of the month.
Cox Media Group
