Ga. DOT Announces Temporary Traffic Changes Along SR 17 Corridor

The State Route 17 construction project in Stephens County will bring about a number of temporary traffic changes starting today if the weather permits.

Two of the changes are in the southern end of Stephens County.

Georgia Department of Transportation Spokesperson Teri Pope said one of the traffic changes taking place today is the temporary closing of Banks Street between Oil Mill Road and Hurricane Grove Road.

“There is a signed detour, Banks Street to Hurricane Grove Road to Anderson Thomas Road, to get you around that,” said Pope. “There is a grade change of five to ten feet coming for Banks Street.”

Pope said this section of Banks Street will remain closed for about 60 days depending on the weather.

Meanwhile, the DOT will also be closing Price Road at its current intersection with State Route 17.

Pope said the DOT also has a detour in place for this closure.

“The detour for Price Road is 17 to Childs Street to Oil Mill Road to Anderson Thomas Road to Gumlog Creek Road, back to Price Road,” said Pope.

Again, the Price Road/State Route 17 intersection is expected to be closed for about 60 days.

Pope said when it re-opens, motorists will notice a difference in the intersection.

“It is actually going to be at a different location, about 200 feet away from where it is right now,” said Pope, who added the DOT is making the change to make the intersection safer.

Besides these two closures, the DOT also said that, weather permitting, Davis Road will be closed at its intersection with State Route 17 starting today for about 60 days in order to raise the grade of Davis Road by eight feet where it meets Highway 17.

The detour for Davis Road involves using Hickory Log Circle.

Pope said with all of these changes planned to start today, motorists should take their time.

“If you use State Route 17, please just slow down, give yourself extra space from you to the vehicle in front of you and pay extra attention,” said Pope.

All of this work is part of the project to build a four-lane Highway 17 from the Stephens-Franklin County line to Memorial Drive in Toccoa.

The new, four-lane Highway 17 is scheduled to be complete in the Spring of 2016.