THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 | $1.00 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com
Exit 14 could be fully open Saturday
Final touches being made this week on bridge project
BY JEFF GILL
jgill@gainesvilletimes.com
Waiting for Exit 14 to fully open
appears over.
The Georgia Department of
Transportation announced Wednes
day, Jan. 22, that the overpass is
set to open to motorists Saturday,
Jan. 25, meaning the entire Inter
state 985 interchange will be fully
operational.
The $34 million interchange in
South Hall will connect Martin Road
at Falcons Parkway on the east side
of 1-985 to H.F. Reed at Thurmon
Tanner Parkway on the west side.
“Final striping, guardrail and the
activation of the traffic signals will
take place over the next few days,”
a DOT press release stated.
The interchange had been par
tially open since Sept. 3, when area
officials held a ceremony naming it
the Atlanta Falcons Training Facil
ity Interchange.
Motorists have only been able
to use Exit 14’s entrance and exit
ramps. The overpass was delayed
because three of the driving sur
face’s four spans had failed strength
tests in early 2019.
Then-District Engineer Brandon
Kirby said in a May 2019 interview
the bridge’s problems were “really
a material issue,” not contractor
error.
The concrete “wasn’t workman
ship” quality, he said.
“It wasn’t that the contractor
didn’t do a good job pouring the
bridge deck or that our technicians
did a poor job inspecting the pour
itself,” Kirby said. “I don’t want to
get into who’s at fault in mixing it or
anything like that. I don’t have that
information. We just look at the end
product.”
The DOT recently announced
that the overpass’ concrete driving
surface had passed strength tests.
SCOn ROGERS I The Times
Traffic cannot yet use the new Exit 14 bridge as final preparations are
taking place Wednesday, Jan. 22.
‘One-of-a-kind’ facility
Photos by SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
Land is being graded Wednesday, Jan. 22, on the new outdoor stage and pavilion at The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center in
downtown Gainesville.
Arts Council outdoor stage, pavilion will be ready for summer
Group plans
308 ‘elegant’
senior homes
BY JEFF GILL
jgill@gainesvilletimes.com
A touch of English manor and tudor may be
coming to the Hall-Gwinnett County line.
A Hoschton developer, VDC Development
Group LLC, is looking to build a 308-unit gated
retirement community off Thompson Mill Road
in Gwinnett at the Hall border, off Friendship
Road.
The development also would be near Deaton
Creek Parkway, which leads to The Village at
Deaton Creek, an active-adult community in
Hall.
VDC’s project calls for 14 buildings totaling
544,950 square feet, with 22 one- and two-bed-
room, 1,136-square-foot units in each building.
Several small “pocket” parks would be built
throughout the development.
Each building will have underground park
ing and a large lobby area on the first floor
“for entertaining guests or activities and meet
ings with other residents,” according to VDC’s
application.
■ Please see RETIRE, 5A
Hall to move
BY LAYNE SALIBA
lsaliba@gainesvilletimes.com
Instead of the sounds of a band or orchestra,
most of what you’ll hear over at The Arts Council is
the sound of construction.
A new outdoor stage and pavilion is being built
and will open this summer, ready to host perfor
mances, fundraisers and weddings. A groundbreak
ing ceremony is planned for 5 p.m. Wednesday,
Jan. 29, at The Arts Council.
“We have been planning it for so long,” said
Gladys Wyant, executive director at The Arts Coun
cil. “We are working feverishly on it right now.”
It’s a venue Wyant said is “one-of-a-kind” in
Gainesville. She’s not aware of any other covered,
outdoor venues in Gainesville, especially at this
size.
The 6,300-square-foot stage and pavilion is a
■ Please see ARTS, 5A
Fire Station 1
BY MEGAN REED
mreed@gainesvilletimes.com
As East Hall grows, Hall County wants to
expand its fire services to fit the changing popu
lation --- which officials hope to do with the relo
cation of Fire Station No. 1.
The station, built in 1973, currently sits at
2460 Athens Highway. It was Hall County Fire
Services’ first station and once housed county
dispatch. But on Thursday, the Hall County
Board of Commissioners will vote to acquire
a 9.6-acre property at 3126 Gillsville Highway
near the former Tadmore Park site and Tad-
more Elementary School.
The response area for Station No. 1 will be
■ Please see FIRE, 7A
INSIDE
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High Low
5^46 38
Lake Lanier level: 1,070.99 feet
Full pool 1,071. Down 0.23 feet in 24 hours
DEATHS 6A
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Alma Fisher, 95
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Shelby White, 19
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