Contractors working for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) will continue construction on the I-16/I-75 Interchange Improvement Project in Macon-Bibb County from August 15 to August 22, 2025. The project is part of a multi-phase effort to widen and reconstruct key interstate corridors and their interchange.
A long-term closure will begin Saturday, August 16, affecting semi-truck access to I-16 eastbound from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/Coliseum Drive. This entrance will remain closed through early spring 2026. Semi-trucks will be detoured via Emery Highway eastbound and Ocmulgee East Boulevard southbound to reach I-16 eastbound.
Access restrictions will also apply to the I-16 eastbound exit ramp at Spring Street/Exit 1A, with traffic detoured past Spring Street to exit at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Northbound traffic on I-75 just north of Hardeman Avenue heading toward I-16 eastbound will shift onto new left lanes of I-16 eastbound, maintaining full access to Spring Street/Exit 1A as usual.
Roadside signage and lane striping are in place to guide drivers through these changes. These shifts are necessary for crews constructing pedestrian bridges over the Ocmulgee River. The far right lane of Spring Street at the I-16 westbound on-ramp and the right-hand on-ramp itself remain closed for several months; the Spring Street on-ramp has been relocated to the far left lane.
Construction activities scheduled for August 15–22 include continued work on bridge substructures and superstructures for various ramps and bridges, demolition of certain bridge ramps, installation of retaining walls along both directions of I-75, drainage improvements throughout the area, lighting installation on Riverside Bridge and Walnut Street overpass, guardrail installation over I-75, as well as ongoing construction of sound and visual barriers along both sides of I-75.
Phase 1 work from the split at I-16/I-75 to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is substantially complete.
The $500 million project aims to improve safety and mobility by widening interstates, adding collector-distributor lanes, upgrading ramps and bridges—11 in total—and enhancing drainage systems across seven phases scheduled through 2030. When finished, it is expected that local commuters, regional travelers, businesses in Macon-Bibb County, as well as commercial freight moving between Georgia’s southern coast and destinations across the United States will benefit from improved transportation infrastructure.
Motorists should expect delays during this period and are advised to use caution while traveling through work zones. Real-time updates about roadwork status can be found by calling 511 or visiting https://511ga.org/.
According to GDOT: “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.”
