Traffic shifting Saturday in U.S. 27 work area

Construction continues along U.S. 27 near downtown Chattanooga. The project is slated for completion in December 2014.

Photo by Patrick Smith.

Drivers who come into Chattanooga on U.S. 27 will touch their tires Saturday to the first fruits of the $104 million reconstruction.

Southbound traffic will shift to the new lanes and bridges on Friday morning from Signal Mountain Road to the closed Whitehall Road exit ramp, according to a Tennessee Department of Transportation news release.

U.S. 27 South traffic will merge into the existing center lane, and the right lane will become an exit-only lane. Traffic entering from Signal Mountain Road onto U.S. 27 South will also be routed onto the new southbound lanes, according to the release.

To implement the changeover, some lanes on the southbound side will be closed between 7 p.m. Thursday and 6 p.m. Friday.

Motorists are urged to watch for the changes and drive with extra care in the construction zone. The Tennessee Highway Patrol will assist with traffic control and speed enforcement as drivers get accustomed to the new traffic pattern. Overhead signs and message boards will also be used to inform drivers of the new traffic pattern, according to the release.

The alignment will remain in place until the remaining southbound retaining walls and the ramps to Manufacturers Road are completed, which is scheduled to take place by early June, the release stated.