Why Are They Cutting Down All The Trees On The Interstate?

If your commute looks a little different these days, you aren't imagining it.

The Georgia Department of Transportation has been undergoing a $62.5 million project that started in 2017 to remove trees and underbrush as a safety precaution along roads, according to the Douglas County Sentinel.

The main concern is safety, according to a GDOT spokesperson.

"It's GDOT's responsibility and our obligation to maintain roads in a manner that provides the safest passage possible for motorist," Natalie Dale told the Sentinel.

She said 472 people have died from hitting trees in Georgia in the last three years. The project will also keep trees from falling on roadways.

The main observation by motorists in Douglas County and those nearby in Paulding County may be the barren look along Interstate 20. Approximately 20 miles of the interstate have had trees removed here, Dale told the Sentinel.

GDOT plans to plant grasses and flowers in the barren spots by the end of the year.