Construction continues on the I-16/I-75 Interchange Improvement Project in Macon-Bibb County, with several activities scheduled between August 29 and September 5, 2025. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has announced that contractors will be working on various phases of the project, depending on weather and site conditions.
The detour for semi-trucks making a right turn onto the I-16 eastbound on-ramp at the MLK Jr. Blvd./Coliseum Drive intersection has been removed. Trucks can now make this turn as usual.
Flagging operations are set for Thursday, September 4 through Friday, September 5 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., where flaggers will guide drivers at the entrance ramp to I-16 eastbound on Coliseum Drive/Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard while crews work in the area.
Traffic pacing is planned for Tuesday, September 2 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on I-16 westbound starting at milepost 3.
A long-term traffic shift affecting access to Spring Street/Exit 1A is expected to last through January 2026. Southbound traffic on I-75 heading to I-16 eastbound will use new left lanes and will need to detour past Spring Street to exit at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard due to restricted access. Northbound traffic from just north of Hardeman Avenue will also shift onto new left lanes but will retain full access to Spring Street/Exit 1A.
Roadside signage and lane striping are in place to direct drivers through these changes as crews construct pedestrian bridges over the Ocmulgee River.
Ongoing closures include Spring Street’s far right lane at the I-16 westbound on-ramp and the right-hand on-ramp itself; both are closed for several months. The Spring Street on-ramp to I-16 westbound has been relocated to the far left lane.
Construction activities during this period include continued work on bridge substructures and superstructures for various ramps and bridges, demolition of certain bridge ramps, construction of retaining walls along both directions of I-75, installation of drainage structures throughout the project area, lighting installation for Riverside Bridge and Walnut Street over I-75, guardrail installation, sound and visual wall construction along I-75 northbound and southbound, and evaluation of remaining work items near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard exit.
The $500 million interchange improvement project aims to widen and reconstruct portions of I-16, I-75, and their interchange in Macon-Bibb County over seven design and construction phases running through 2030. Upgrades include new collector-distributor lanes, additional interstate lanes, new ramps, improvements or replacements for eleven bridges, new walls, upgraded drainage systems, among other features intended to improve safety and mobility for local commuters as well as regional travelers and freight movement across Georgia.
“Georgia Department of Transportation plans, constructs and maintains Georgia’s state and federal highways. We’re involved in bridge, waterway, public transit, rail, general aviation, bike and pedestrian programs. And we help local governments maintain their roads. Georgia DOT and its nearly 4,000 employees are committed to delivering a transportation system focused on innovation, safety, sustainability and mobility. The Department’s vision is to boost Georgia’s competitiveness through leadership in transportation,” according to GDOT.
Motorists should expect delays during construction periods; caution is advised when traveling through work zones. For real-time updates about roadwork status or traffic conditions statewide—including this project—drivers can call 511 or visit https://511ga.org/.
