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The Georgia Department of Transportation announced new projects in West Point earlier this week, including installing roundabouts for safer travel from Georgia 18 onto and off of Interstate 85. In all, the roadwork projects will cost approximately $15.9 million.

The interstate project will essentially create two roundabouts on each side of the interstate overpass, allowing motorists to more safely make their way on or off the interstate.

The purpose of the project is to improve the safety of the roadway. GDOT crash data analysis from 2004 -2009 revealed 38 crashes with 23 injuries and 0 fatalities at the intersection. Of those crashes, 11 were angle collisions, 1 was head-on and 14 were rear-end collisions.

A second project in the same vicinity will involve replacing four bridges that cross Long Cane Creek with new bridges. Interstate 85 crosses State Route 18 with two bridges and State Route 18 crosses Long Cane Creek with two bridges.

The West Point project also includes the installation of intersection video detection systems (VDS).

In all GDOT awarded $59,456,766 in projects statewide, with West Point’s projects totaling more than one-fourth of that. The West Point project was awarded to C.W. Matthews Contracting Company, Inc.