MACON, Ga. — If you travel Macon's I-16/I-75 interchange, your commute probably took a lot longer Monday morning.
The Georgia Department of Transportation says drivers can no longer take a busy exit on I-16.
It closed Sunday so that crews can finish work on new roadways.
Drivers in the area had to take a detour due to the closing of the Spring Street Exit 1A.
Taylor Stickler moved to Macon in May of 2020, and something he noticed right off the bat is how inconsistent the traffic can be.
"Some days, I can get to work in under 10 minutes. Other days, it's sort of up in the air and could take 25 minutes, depending on how 75 looks," Stickler said.
He says he never knows what to expect on I-75, especially when you're getting off near Spring Street.
"The 75/16 interchange is very variable, so I found alternative ways to get to work for awhile now," said Stickler.
On Monday, Stickler took one of his alternative routes to work because drivers can't use exit 1A for now.
Stickler said, "I opted to take exit 167, on 75, down Riverside. It might've taken 20 minutes. There was some back up on 75, but I was anticipating the close."
I-75 Northbound traffic can still get to Spring Street by way of a new exit ramp, but if you're coming from I-75 South, you'll have to go past Spring Street and take the MLK Jr Boulevard - Coliseum Drive exit.
"We have seen a pretty good bit of backup and there was an accident out there earlier that caused a backup. Of course, with people who aren't familiar with the exit being closed and make decisions to get over last minute try to get over, it's causing a bit of a delay and backups as well," said Major Brad Wolfe with the Bibb County Sheriff's Office.
Wolfe says more accidents and delays are to be expected with this new change.
"People just need to be aware that closure is in place and traffic is going to be heavy. Be aware and leave a little bit of space for people to make up their minds about what they want to do, and just be cautious," Wolfe advised.
Stickler says he understands the need for the closing, but he's ready for it to open back up already.
"It was a really convenient exit. It was the best way to get to work, so it'll be kind of inconvenient while it's closed," said Stickler.
The Department of Transportation says the exit should be closed for the next 2 to 3 months.
The exit is closed while contractors work on four new bridges on I-16 east over the Ocmulgee River.