Dalton Convention Center General Manager Doug Phipps says weekends are some of the building’s busiest times.

“A trade show, a gun show, a coin show can draw 2,000, 3,000 people or more, and the vast majority of them are coming off the interstate,” he said Thursday evening during a meeting at the Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library.

The meeting was held by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to discuss its plans for work on the bridge over I-75 at Walnut Avenue/Dug Gap Battle Road, work that could close the bridge for approximately five straight weekends next year. The work will involve raising the bridge about 14 inches to give it a clearance of 17 feet, joint replacement, asphalt replacement and overlay of new decks and repair of cracks.

GDOT’s Lisa Jones said the project will be done next year, possibly next summer or fall, but the exact timing hasn’t been decided when the work will be done. The public will be given 30 days notice before work begins, she said.

Jones said the work will be done on weekends to minimize the impact on traffic. But Dalton Public Works Director Benny Dunn said he believes that GDOT could find some way to do the work without closing the bridge completely for five straight weekends.

“That is the main entrance to Dalton, and Walnut Avenue is a major economic hub for the city,” he said. “The hotel/motel taxes and the sales taxes generated there, even on the weekends, is considerable.”

The plans call for traffic to be rerouted while the bridge is closed. For instance, traffic headed north on I-75 and wishing to get off at Walnut Avenue and go to the convention center or Dalton State College will be directed to instead get off at the Rocky Face interchange and take the north bypass to Tibbs Road, then turn onto College Drive. Traffic coming south on I-75 wishing to get off at Walnut and come toward Dalton will be directed to get off at the Rocky Face interchange and take the bypass to East Walnut Avenue.

Jones said the detours were designed to keep drivers on state routes as much as possible.

Dalton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Tourism Director Brett Huske said he doesn’t think most business owners in the area are aware yet of the plans.

“It’s going to have an impact on the hotels and restaurants in that area. I hope we can find some way to minimize that impact,” he said.