Diverging diamond to begin construction on Jimmy Carter (Dunwoody: 2013, landscaping)

[ATLTJL]

Gwinnett Daily Post | Jimmy Carter's diamond construction to begin

I still haven't been through the Ashford Dunwoody diverging diamond, so I don't really have an opinion on what this will mean for traffic.

What I would like to talk about, is look at the design of the bridge. I know for a long time Gwinnett county has wanted to create some kind of landmark to signify entrance into the county and this bridge is going to be it, or at least part of it. Do you like the design? I remember asking the CID if they could consult with whoever designed the 14th Street bridge with its cool LED lighting, and was told that this bridge was designed by the same firm. I believe it is slated to have all white lighting at night. I would have preferred a color, but it's still way better than a typical overpass bridge.

I like what the CIDs are doing. I never liked the Gwinnett is Great towers. I remember 4 years ago when I started looking for a house, I kind of didn't want to consider Gwinnett county because when I lived off Jimmy Carter in the late 90s, I thought it was trashy. When I saw the landscaping job the CID had done on all the exit ramps, it was one of the many things that helped convice me that the county is trying to step up its game and through exploration, I found a place I liked enough to call home.

Is anyone else excited about this new landmark bridge? It should make the drive just ever so slightly more enjoyable for anybody who takes this route. I'll go under it ever day!

[cqholt]

I think they are retrofitting the existing bridge. The Ashford-Dunwoody overpass was not replaced.
I cannot believe that such a congested corridor has only a 6 lane bridge over 85.

[jeoff]

I do not like the design. Looks like decorative burgular bars.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by jeoff

I do not like the design. Looks like decorative burgular bars.

Very fitting for the JCB corridor.

[ATLTJL]

Haters gonna hate.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Haters gonna hate.

Oh boo, it was a joke.
What I can't believe is that GDOT is going to add these decorate bars, then 10 years later rebuild the bridge?

[jeoff]

I prefer no design (or minimalist design), to bad design. Do not ask what you think about a design, if you only want to hear complements. The "burglar bars" look like a tacked on afterthought--not an integral part of the design. Of course, this is a function of budget constraints--in the US we can no longer justify the added expense to make our public projects ornate and beautiful (and we probably should be spending our money elsewhere), the best we can do is simple and beautiful. This decoration is not simple and beautiful--it is just... there.

[tikigod311]

Couldn't they just reuse the bars when they widen the bridge?

Looks pretty good, I would have went with another design. But that's me being picky.

Its good to see municipalities putting more effort into the ascetics of busy areas. It is important to set a tone, especially at a transitional point like that.

[joey86]

Where is the pic? My phone insists on taking me to the mobile version of sites. That's probably why I can't find it.

[joey86]

Originally Posted by jeoff

I prefer no design (or minimalist design), to bad design. Do not ask what you think about a design, if you only want to hear complements. The "burglar bars" look like a tacked on afterthought--not an integral part of the design. Of course, this is a function of budget constraints--in the US we can no longer justify the added expense to make our public projects ornate and beautiful (and we probably should be spending our money elsewhere), the best we can do is simple and beautiful. This decoration is not simple and beautiful--it is just... there.

I don't think he was too offended. It is just a bridge.