25 replies to this topic

[GSP Tiger]

Interstates growing sideways
Anderson Independent-Mail (SC)
2006/2/1

I-85 may finally have more lanes coming in the near future from Atlanta into South Carolina.  With much traffic traveling between Atlanta, upstate South Carolina, Charlotte and the NC triad, six lanes are pretty much necessary these days.

Edited by BoDragon, 02 February 2006 - 04:14 PM.

[socaguy]

This is LONG overdue.  Ive seen traffic so busy on 85 from Anderson ALL THE WAY to Atlanta that its come to a stop several times and its taken close to 2 hours to get to the Mall of Georgia exit, that should only take about an hour....and this is without any accidents.  This is one of the busiest stretches of Interstate in the South, busier than anywhere ive seen from Texas to South Florida.

[ATLman1]

I-85 should be 6-laned throughout GA. There is just too much traffic on that interstate.

[Hotlanta]

Thank God!

[krazeeboi]

Whenever I travel to Atlanta, the traffic for me doesn't start to really pick up until the I-85/I-985 junction (from Greenville to Atlanta). Up to that point, it doesn't seem that bad to me.

[socaguy]

It all depends.  Last time i went to Atlanta it wasnt that bad.  Traffic was thick but not bumper to bumper.  The time before (right after X-mas) it was bumper to bumper, going about 45 MPH from Anderson to Atlanta.  Of course people were probably coming and going home for the holidays, but Ive seen it like that on non holiday weekends too.  Modnay mornig was THICK from Anderson to Carnesville exit, but it was rainy/wet mixed with slow and people were driving slower.  Its LONG overdue.

[Hotlanta]

The stretch of I-85 above the metro Atlanta area where it is 4 lanes wide is almost like the 12 lane portions that currently exist in Gwinnett, Fulton, and DeKalb Counties. Everbody is going at 80 m.p.h. and while it is not always jammed, it is at capacity.

[Spartan]

I disagree about the traffic. Its not bad (for 85) until you get past Commerce (going towards Atlanta) and it doesn't seriously pick up until 985 comes in.

[DigitalSky]

That's good.. I-85 really needs widening in a lot of areas

[socaguy]

Spartan, on Feb 26 2006, 01:14 AM, said:

I disagree about the traffic. Its not bad (for 85) until you get past Commerce (going towards Atlanta) and it doesn't seriously pick up until 985 comes in.

I guess it just depends on how frequent you use it.  Im on 85 towards Atlanta almost on a daily basis.  Ive seen it bumper to bumper after holidays...all the way to the Anderson exit.  And Im talking 45mph slow moving, no accident traffic.  Other days its free moving.  Over all it is nothing like many other interstates in the south....20 through Augusta and 16 to Savannah dont pale in comparison to the traffic 85 gets.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

socaguy, on Mar 5 2006, 08:37 PM, said:

I guess it just depends on how frequent you use it.  Im on 85 towards Atlanta almost on a daily basis.  Ive seen it bumper to bumper after holidays...all the way to the Anderson exit.  And Im talking 45mph slow moving, no accident traffic.  Other days its free moving.  Over all it is nothing like many other interstates in the south....20 through Augusta and 16 to Savannah dont pale in comparison to the traffic 85 gets.

85 needs to be AT LEAST 6 lanes from ATL to Charlotte. The worst areas are between Commerce, Ga southward to the 316 entrance north of Atlanta, and westward from Gaffney,SC (home of the butt shaped peach watertower) to US 74 near Gastonia, NC just west of Charlotte.  

[jpl02]

I-75 and I-85 both need to be 6 lanes throughout the state. I know there are massive I-75 widening projects in southern Georgia. Fact it, lots of people travel through the state to get to other destinations (Florida, the Carolinas, etc) and plus Georgia is a growing state. Here in Florida, a large part of I-75 is 6 lanes, most of I-95 will be 6 lanes, and I-10 throughout Florida is anticipated to be widened to 6 lanes, starting this year. We're a growing state and so is GA, so it's coming to yall sooner or later.  

[Creasy336]

wow, I-85 is looking like it Will be at least six lanes from Durham to Atlanta before 2020.  all of the remaining 4 lane portions are now under construction or planned for widening to atleast 8 lanes.  All that I can think of is I-85 west of Gastonia to near the Spartanburg and the area southwest of Anderson.  This is great news! no section of I-85 between Durham and Atlanta should be 4 lanes.

[Martinman]

jpl02, on Mar 7 2006, 09:18 AM, said:

I-75 and I-85 both need to be 6 lanes throughout the state. I know there are massive I-75 widening projects in southern Georgia. Fact it, lots of people travel through the state to get to other destinations (Florida, the Carolinas, etc) and plus Georgia is a growing state. Here in Florida, a large part of I-75 is 6 lanes, most of I-95 will be 6 lanes, and I-10 throughout Florida is anticipated to be widened to 6 lanes, starting this year. We're a growing state and so is GA, so it's coming to yall sooner or later.  

The south GA section of I-75 is the only part of I-75 in Ga that's NOT at least six lanes.  I think thats been the plan for a while and this is the last section to get widened.  It's definately a major FLA roadway.

[jasoniman24]

I agree, widening is long overdue for this stretch of 85. I travel between Greensboro and Pensacola about twice a year to visit family, and have noticed that the overpasses between the SC line and Atlanta have been replaced to accommodate the widening.

[suburban george3]

Spartan, on Feb 26 2006, 02:14 AM, said:

I disagree about the traffic. Its not bad (for 85) until you get past Commerce (going towards Atlanta) and it doesn't seriously pick up until 985 comes in.

Generally, that's when I see traffic problems as well.  However, if there is a major even in Atlanta, near a holiday, or it's a Friday or Sunday afternoon the whole stretch of I-85 from Durham to Atlanta can be packed!  And there are too many wrecks in the Gaffney, SC area as well as near Lake Hartwell.

[Spartan]

Yeah, those two sections are the worst ones... they are also the only substandard (IMO) 2 lane sections left in SC. Both are going to be widened at some point. I think the stretch towards Gaffney is next.

[erm1981]

I think that greenville could use 4 lanes on each side through spartanburg on I-85.  Anderson should be 3 lanes on each side till you start getting into the outer lying areas of atlanta where it widens up again.  I was driving last night on I-85 through greenville at around midnight and all 6 lanes had lots of traffic on them.  I think before long we will be seeing 8 lanes through greenville at the least.

Edited by erm1981, 02 September 2006 - 07:41 AM.

[GSP Tiger]

When I-85 in South Carolina was widened to six lanes from Exits 54 to 68 in the late 1990s,  I think they left some room to allow for eight lanes (4 north, 4 south) expansion in a few years.  Did they also do the same thing with the mid 1990s widening from Exit 42 to mile 47?

[erm1981]

There appears to be room for 8 lanes through anderson, greenville, and spartanburg.  If not then they can make room.