I-85 Interchange at Poplar Road - Coweta County, GA

Pond prepared traffic forecasts and analyses as part of the consultant team that completed the design of a new interchange along I-85 at Poplar Road in Coweta County. Large amounts of residential and commercial growth has taken place in Coweta County, particularly in and around the City of Newnan and I-85. The existing interchange at SR 34 experiences significant peak hour traffic congestion. The new interchange will relieve congestion and attract future development. The most significant of these developments is the construction of a regional hospital at the Poplar Road interchange. Design traffic for additional roadway projects has been combined with this effort, including the Newnan Crossing Bypass Extension, SR 16 Widening and Reconstruction, and the Intersection Improvement of US29/27 at SR16 and at Pine Road. Combining these projects for one set of design traffic volumes allows all improvements to be analyzed together as each project is completed during future years.

Traffic volumes were forecast using the Atlanta Regional Commission travel demand model, growth trends, and approved Interchange Justification Report (IJR) results. Analysis includes examination of a variety of interchange configurations using Synchro and CORSIM software. Coordination with Coweta County and GDOT ensured the design met the needs and expectations of both entities.