Georgia DOT to spend $1 billion on Atlanta interchange updates in most expensive project in state history

Updated Feb 11, 2015
The interchange is seen in this still from WSBTV footage.The interchange is seen in this still from WSBTV footage.

The busy interchange at Atlanta’s Interstate 285 and Georgia State Route 400 will receive $1 billion worth of lane and fly-over updates, according to a report from WSB-TV.

According to a report on the news channels web site, Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Project Director Marlow Clowers says the project will be the most expensive in GDOT’s history.

To cut down an average commuting time in the area by 8 hours a year by 2019, GDOT plans to add more fly-over ramps and lanes to the interchange. The project will work on an accelerated schedule, Clowers told WSB-TV, with the three-year project expected to begin in February of next year.

Many of the ramps leading to and away from the interchange have an average daily traffic count in the range of 20,000 to 24,000 vehicles, according to the latest statistics available on GDOT’s web site. Interstate 285 has nearly 200,000 vehicles daily at the area, while Georgia State Route 400 has roughly 112,000 daily.