I-16 East Ramp Closing

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – If you usually get off Spring Street to get on I-16, your plans will now have to change.

The I-16 east ramp will close Monday night. People will now have to get on Emery Highway, to M.L.K. Blvd, then back onto 1-16.

And Shelly Robinson is not happy about the ramp closing.

“It’s gonna be a big inconvenience because even with the detour and everybody detouring to the detour it’s gonna be a lot of congestion because this exit ramp is already congestion,” she said.

Karina Hernandez agreed with Robinson. She is the Manager at El Sombrero and she fears the ramp will hurt the restaurant.

“It’s gonna be a big impact on our business cause we get customers from Riverside, GEICO, YKK, it’s gonna be a struggle for them to get here, ” Hernandez said.

The ramp is off Spring Street on the side of the bridge where Pizza Hut is.

The ramp closing is part of the I-16/I-75 reconstruction plan.

Hernandez said closing the ramp will mean people waste their lunch time on the road.

“Most of them have like an hour break or 30 minutes break so I’m pretty sure they’re gonna choose another option,” she said.

But Hernandez has high opes the restaurant will bounce back.

“Customers they need to get used to all this traffic situation. Yea, but eventually I think we’re gonna be okay,” she said.

Robinson said the ramp will just make things difficult for people who live off the exit.

“It’s gonna be an inconvenience for not only people that live here because I also get off this exit when I’m in West Macon and North Macon to go home, but also for people that work here that’s getting off this exit to go to work,” she said.

According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, the purpose of the project to improve efficiency of traffic at the interstate changes at I-75 and I-16.