This project is located in the City of Dalton in Whitfield County, Georgia along State Route (SR) 52 (Walnut Avenue) / Dug Gap Mountain Road in the proximity of the I-75 interchange. State Route 52 (Walnut Avenue) ends at I-75 at which time it becomes Dug Gap Mountain Road. The project includes improvements to three closely spaced intersections along SR 52 comprising of the I-75 southbound ramps, College Drive, and West Bridge Road. College Drive is located 130 feet west of the I-75 southbound ramp intersection and West Bridge Road is located 140 feet west of College Drive. Due to the proximity of these intersections, traffic along SR 52 and College Drive experience heavy traffic congestion and long queues during peak periods.
The project involves constructing a five-leg, two-lane roundabout to combine State Route 52, College Drive and the I-75 southbound ramps. West Bridge Road will be relocated west of the existing location to provide greater separation between the proposed intersections. The roundabout combines the two closely spaced intersections of SR 52 at College Drive and SR 52 at the I-75 southbound ramps together into a single intersection, eliminates the need for a traffic signal at the I-75 southbound ramps, decreases the southbound left queue along College Drive, and has no adverse impacts to the northbound ramp signalized intersection. It reduces the queue length along the southbound off-ramp and prevents spill back onto I-75. The proposed improvements will serve to increase capacity by maintaining two through lanes on SR 52 / Dug Gap Mountain
