ATLANTA — While there will still be some major impacts on one of Atlanta’s busiest highway interchanges, reconstruction to I-285 and SR 400 north of Atlanta for the remainder of year is "on track" to be finished by the end of 2021.
Work on the project initially began in November 2017 with a projected completion date of July 2020. However, last July, officials with the Georgia Department of Transportation, announced that the construction timeline would be pushed back until the end of 2021.
Closing in on the final stages of completion, GDOT said additional work, such as asphalt paving and "punch list " items may be necessary through spring of 2022.
As for the upcoming work between now and the end of 2021, GDOT said drivers should expect a number of traffic shifts and travel-lane modifications in the next 60 days, including:
- New ramps entering and exiting SR 400 southbound at Abernathy Road, and a ramp from the North Springs MARTA Station to SR 400
- A new ramp from I-285 westbound to SR 400 northbound
- New collector-distributor (CD) lanes along I-285 in both directions
- The westbound CD lane will begin at Peachtree Dunwoody Road and end at Roswell Road. The CD lane will double as the Roswell Road exit ramp and include a slip ramp for re-entry to I-285 westbound.
- The eastbound CD lane will run from Glenridge Drive and end at Ashford Dunwoody Road. The CD lane will double as the Ashford Dunwoody Road exit ramp and will not feature a slip ramp for re-entry to I-285 eastbound.
- The CD lane openings will precede construction of bridges over Glenridge Drive, SR 400, and Peachtree Dunwoody Road. This construction will require the reduction of travel lanes on I-285 from 5 to 3 between Roswell Road and Ashford Dunwoody Road.
When it's done, state officials say the new interchange will make commuting easier, and help reduce crashes and traffic congestion. In the meantime, motorists are advised to pay close attention to the new roadway configuration.
For full traffic updates, traffic maps and times, please visit 11Alive.com/traffic.