ATLANTA — As more people choose to call metro Atlanta home, the Georgia Department of Transportation is bringing back toll lanes on Georgia 400.
"Time is money. How much is your time worth?" Natalie Dale, a spokesperson for GDOT said. She said the new toll lanes set for GA-400 will save drivers time and taxpayers money.
"We have a very robust but very heavily used freight network in Georgia. If you look at the typical p.m. commute on the top end of 285, it is very heavy with freight," Dale said.
Transportation officials said the traffic on GA-400 increases every year as northern communities continue to expand. To help alleviate traffic, the plan is to add toll lanes in both directions at the top of Interstate 285 and through the east and west sides of Interstate 20.
Officials believe the adjustments will ease congestion in peak areas and give motorists the option to use the express toll lanes if and when they want to save time. Transit buses will not have to pay to use the lanes.
The State Road and Tollway Authority voted Monday to allow a private company to take on the project. That means they will pay the majority of the $6.1 billion price tag.
"The benefit really is to the taxpayer because the new system is getting built for them at a significantly lower price tag to the Georgia taxpayer," Dale said.
The private company also bears the bulk of responsibility -- from maintaining wear and tear of the roads to making sure the lanes are flowing efficiently. The company will pay itself back for building the lanes through the toll money it collects over 50 years.
Dale said anytime a road is built, there is a lifetime cost.
"It's not just the price we pay today, it is what the road will continue to cost us year, over year, over year of maintenance and improvements making sure that that road stays safe and up to date," Dale said.
The exact cost split between the state and the private company will be determined at a later date.
GDOT said it has not selected a company for the project yet but hopes to start construction in 2023. The state transportation board will have to sign off on the final plans. That will likely happen at a meeting in a few weeks.