The Georgia Department of Transportation plans to open new high-occupancy vehicle lanes at the Interstate 85/Ga. 316 interchange in Gwinnett County, starting late today.

All the lanes should be open by 5 a.m. Friday.

The I-85 northbound HOV lane will be extended to Sugarloaf Parkway and the Ga. 316 eastbound HOV lane will be opened to the Herrington Road overpass.

The section of HOV lane on I-85 northbound from Sugarloaf to Old Peachtree Road will open as soon as the remaining work is complete for the new auxiliary lane north of Old Peachtree.

"We’re moving right along to getting this project completed," said DOT District Engineer Russell McMurry.

"Just a few more items to finish and we will have it all open to traffic."

The $147 million reconstruction project, which began in January 2006, includes two new flyover bridges from Ga. 316 westbound to I-85 southbound and to Pleasant Hill Road, as well as a collector-distributor system.

The project is slated to be completed by the end of the year.