The cable barriers dividing opposing lanes of traffic along I-985 in Hall County will be extended into Habersham.
The Georgia Department of Transportation awarded two contracts totaling more than $2.5 million to construct the barriers along a nearly 21-mile stretch of Ga. 365. The modified guardrails will extend from northern Hall County to approximately four miles southeast of Clarkesville.
GDOT will pay Nationwide Construction Group of Richmond, Michigan, $972,570 to install
9.7 miles of cable barriers on Ga. 365 from State Route 52 to SR 384/Duncan Bridge Road.
The state transportation agency will pay Higgins Construction of Clarkesville
$1,595,577 to install 11 miles of cable barriers on Highway 365 from Duncan Bridge Road extending south of Toccoa Highway.
Both construction groups were the low bidders on the projects, GDOT says.
Benefits of cable barriers
According to a 2014 study by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, approximately 8% of all fatalities on divided highways are due to head-on crashes. The agency says median barriers on rural four-lane freeways reduce cross-median crashes by 97%.
The Federal Highway Administration calls cable median barriers a “very cost-effective means of reducing the severity of median crossover crashes.” Unlike traditional guardrails, the cable system is designed to absorb shock, resulting in “less impact force and redirection.” The cable system is also easier to install on slopes and requires less invasive construction methods, the agency says.
The cable barrier installations in Habersham are expected to be completed by April 30, 2022.
