I-85 Welcome Center Closing for Repairs

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

Beginning next week, the Georgia Welcome Center on Interstate 85 in Lavonia will be getting a much-needed facelift.

That means the Welcome Center will be closed while repairs and upgrades are taking place.

The Georgia Department of Transportation will be making the repairs in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Georgia DOT spokesperson Teri Pope said signs have already gone up warning visitors about the scheduled closing.

Pope said they expect the Welcome Center to be closed for about three months.

“The Welcome Center will be closed from July 20 to September 13,” Pope said. “The Welcome Center will be completely closed. Visitors will not be able to access the driveways, the parking lots, or the bathrooms.”

She added that the DOT plans to do a complete renovation, including making upgrades to the infrastructure.

“We will be making the Welcome Center, well, more welcoming,” Pope said. “We will be replacing most major systems in the building; from the roof to the parking lot and down to the water lines, improvements will be made. New HVAC, new drywall and painting are all part of the renovations. The Welcome Center will also become more environmentally responsible with low flow, automatic flush valve toilets, LED lighting inside and outside.”

Also, Pope said the new inside lights will have occupancy sensors so that they will turn off automatically.

The 16,640 square foot Welcome Center opened in 1996.

Prime Contractors of Powder Springs will be doing the work for $720,000.