The Georgia Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that a bid for the construction of the Union Grove Interchange on I-75 was awarded today.

The long-awaited interchange at Union Grove Road was the largest of 32 projects around the state that were announced Tuesday, according to the DOT.

The $16.8-million job will be done by Sunbelt Structures, Inc., of Tucker, and should be

finished in September 2014.

Bids have been awarded for $73.7 million in new work, including significant, multi-million-dollar projects in Gordon, Hall, Fulton and Dougherty counties.

With these awards, Georgia DOT now has begun 242 new construction projects valued at approximately $756 million in Fiscal Year 2012 with two months still remaining.

“Many of the projects awarded are expensive, large-scale improvements to major interstate highways and other major arteries,” DOT Commissioner Keith Golden commented. “Others are smaller jobs on less travelled city streets and county roads. But each one, regardless of its size or cost, represents an important enhancement to the safety, growth or maintenance of Georgia’s transportation network.”

Gordon County Chamber of Commerce President Jimmy Phillips said that the new interchange means good news for Calhoun.

“By having another interchange will be a big plus,” said Phillips. “A lot of the businesses and industrial buildings are in that neighborhood, so by having an interchange it will help with traffic.”

Phillips said that once the interchange is here, it will also alleviate traffic flow around Highway 53.

“The truck traffic will have a direct shot, and Highway 53 will get relief,” said Phillips. “Traffic will be a whole lot better overall.”