$42.7 Million Dollar Contract Approved to Widen Highway 42

Map of state route 42 widening between SR 138 and I-675 in Stockbridge (Georgia DOT photo).
(Georgia DOT photo)

Construction will soon start on the highway 42 widening project. Georgia DOT approved a build contract for the 2.5-mile project.

The highway 42 widening extends between state route 138 and I-675 in Stockbridge. Plans to widen the road date back to the early 1990s.

Highway 42 Widening

Georgia DOT accepted construction bids up until August 18, 2023. Two contractors submitted bids. The state announced a contract award on Friday, September 1.

CW Matthews Contracting of Marietta submitted the low bid. They won the contract valued at $42,664,467.52. The contract completion date is August 31, 2027.

Proceeds from Georgia’s transportation funding act, passed in 2015, are paying for the project.

About the Project

Presently, highway 42 consists of two travel lanes between I-675 and Stockbridge. The widening project will expand the corridor to have four travel lanes. There will be a center median as well.

Current signalized intersections at SR 138, Valley Hill Road and I-675 will remain. Elsewhere, the project will have restricted crossing U-turns (R-CUTs). Such design prevents left-hand turns from side streets. This improves roadway safety by limiting conflict points. The inclusion of R-CUTs is becoming more frequent on divided highways. It is also now a standard design feature on new widening projects.

In addition, the project will build a new bridge over Panther Creek. This will replace the existing box culvert. The new bridge is a major factor leading to the high project cost. Finally, the project has a 10’ wide shared use path and 5’ wide sidewalk on either side of the roadway. The design speed for the project is 45 mph.

Next Steps

Typically, the state will issue the notice to proceed about 6–8 weeks after contract award. At such time, CW Matthews will be able to mobilize onto the project site. Initial steps will include the installation of soil control measures and work zone signage. Land clearing would then follow.

Featured image shows the state route 42 widening in Stockbridge. Georgia DOT photo.

About Clayton 1738 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of The Henry Reporter. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.

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