SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Georgia-400 has become the source of many roadway headaches, and the traffic backlogs will only get worse as the Georgia Department of Transportation closes another lane as part of the Transform 285 at 400 Project.
The $800 million project kicked off in February of 2017 and will improve 10.5 miles of at one of the busiest stretches in metro Atlanta. It includes bridge demolition and reconstruction at Glenridge Drive, GA-400, and Peachtree Dunwoody Road.
This has some businesses neat the Perimeter and GA-400 interchange continuing to feel the traffic pinch.
Friday night should be a busy time at Vinny's New York Pizza and Grill in Sandy Springs.
“People don't feel like dealing with all the traffic because of the construction," Jaelin Randall said.
Randall, a waiter at the restaurant, is looking at empty tables instead of making tips.
“I have to wake up much earlier, which I don't like," Randall said. "It does affect the commute a lot. It adds about 20 to 30 minutes to your normal 20, 30-minute commute, so it takes about an hour to get at most places now.”
What's adding to his commute is the construction along GA-400. The right exterior northbound lane is now closed from the Glenridge Connector to Hammond Drive.
“It causes a lot of traffic jams," Georgia Beccera said. "From what I've seen, especially during rush hour, getting to and out of here is really, really tough."
Beccera, a manager at Vinny's New York Pizza and Grill, said many customers find the roadwork to be confusing.
“Without really knowing how to get here, you're going to miss your exit," Beccera said. "Sometimes I get calls asking us how to get to our location.”
The roadwork isn't expected to wrap up anytime soon.
“I'm very much waiting for it to be over. If it helps move traffic faster, more efficiently, then cool," Randall said.
The far-right lane on northbound GA-400 should be closed for at least three to four months, and then the left lane is expected to shut down early next year.
The Transform 285 at 400 Project is slated to wrap up in the second half of 2023.