Gov. Nathan Deal announced today that the ground is to be broken on a project to improve the Interstate 285/State Route 400 interchange in metro-Atlanta. The project, as stated by Gov. Deal’s office, is a prime example of a public-private partnership, featuring funding from the City of Sandy Springs, the PATH Foundation and the GDOT’s project partner, North Perimeter Contractors, among others.
The project will have a budget of $800 million and will include developments “on I-285 from west of Roswell Road in Fulton County, to east of Ashford Dunwoody in DeKalb County and on SR 400 from the Glenridge Connector to Spalding Drive,” aiming to alleviate congestion via the addition of new features such as flyover ramps, collector-distributor lanes and other features. Surveying and inspections have already begun for this project, and it is expected that construction will begin in the “first quarter” of 2017. Officials assert that the improvements, expected to be completed by 2020, will save those traversing the corridor an average of 8 hours per year and will drastically reduce delays for travelers of the interchange.
Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry classifies this project as somewhat of a cornerstone to more improvements to come to Georgia’s highways over the next decade. Moreover, speaking on the benefit that this project will have to improving Georgia’s travel and interstate commerce, Gov. Deal had this to say:
“Investments such as this one are essential to providing congestion relief for commuters and preparing our infrastructure for more freight and business traffic so that Georgia can remain the No. 1 state in which to do business – a distinction we earned for the fourth year in a row just yesterday.”
This project comes as traffic in the metro-Atlanta area continues to rise as a prominent issue to many Georgians, and given the suggestions of more projects to come, it appears that the state is listening.
A link to the governor’s full press release on the matter can be found here, and more details on the ongoing project are available here.