Atlanta intersections that should be upgraded to interchanges

[Georgia Guardrail]

What are some at-grade intersections in Atlanta in the vast metro area that you all think should be upgraded to grade separated interchanges (or at least semi-interchanges)?

For me I'd start with these:

1.) Windy Hill Rd SE and US 41 in Marietta (SPUI)
2.) SR 54 & SR 74 in Peachtree City (folded diamond or left-turn flyover)
3.) Johnson Ferry Road and Peachtree Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody (diamond)

[Tomahawkin]

There are a bunch of them. I cant even hame them all. Especially the outdated interchanges where main arteries meet with interstates in the metro area...I can name a few that need to be converted into DDI's or gutted and completely rebuilt

SR 20 @ IH 85
LaVista Rd @ IH 285
SR 120 (Old Milton Pkwy) @SR 400

There are many others especially in Gwinnett county as the sprawl there continues into Barrow and Walton Counties

[ran4sh]

SR 20 & I-85 already got an upgrade a couple decades ago when Mall of Georgia was being built. Interesting that the area grew so fast that the interchange is considered outdated now.

[Tomahawkin]

IMO SR 20 Should be a minimum of 6 lanes total and 8 lanes total in urban areas in its entire roundabout of the Atlanta suburbs. Especially since no outer perimeter will be built. SR 20 is the closet thing to it...it can take over an hour to get from Buford to Cumming during peak hours on that route

SR 20 in Cumming has serious issues in that Forsyth county is one of the fastest growing in the country since 2010...

[US 89]

I wish Georgia would experiment more with SPUIs when they want to upgrade diamonds instead of DDIs. As far as I know, they only have the one on 400 at Lenox. Also, the way they program their DDIs never seems to improve much. Jimmy Carter and I-85 needs something better than the DDI it has now.

SR 54/74 in Peachtree City desperately needs some sort of upgrade. The US 78/US 278/GA 6 intersection in Lithia Springs also comes to mind.

[Tomahawkin]

I have been ad nausem in saying that the DDI'S are a band aid on a bullet wound. I Said that 13 years ago when the one at Ashford Dunwoody DDI was built, the one at Jimmy Carter and the one at Plesant Hill. All 3 of those interchanges needed to be gutted instead of a temporary fix. The only DDI that is half successful is the Windy Hill one over IH 75 and dont quote me on that because Im only in that area during Saturday Braves games. I have not seen it during rush hour...

I hope GDOT and Natalie Dale are catching these posts??? But Shes just an overpaid spokesperson...

[Georgia Guardrail]

I have been ad nausem in saying that the DDI'S are a band aid on a bullet wound. I Said that 13 years ago when the one at Ashford Dunwoody DDI was built, the one at Jimmy Carter and the one at Plesant Hill. All 3 of those interchanges needed to be gutted instead of a temporary fix. The only DDI that is half successful is the Windy Hill one over IH 75 and dont quote me on that because Im only in that area during Saturday Braves games. I have not seen it during rush hour...

I hope GDOT and Natalie Dale are catching these posts??? But Shes just an overpaid spokesperson...

I know there is a plan to add an access ramp tunnel under Ashford Dunwoody from I-285 to perimeter center that may help some.

https://www.dunwoodyga.gov/government/projects/public-works/perimeter-center-parkway-access-ramp

The whole interchange itself probably needs something creative.  My idea would be a partial SPUI but with 2 left turn flyovers from Ashford Dunwoody to I-285.

[Tom958]

I know there is a plan to add an access ramp tunnel under Ashford Dunwoody from I-285 to perimeter center that may help some.

https://www.dunwoodyga.gov/government/projects/public-works/perimeter-center-parkway-access-ramp

I've never heard of that project before.

The whole interchange itself probably needs something creative.  My idea would be a partial SPUI but with 2 left turn flyovers from Ashford Dunwoody to I-285.

I don't think that would fit into the required footprint, especially on the westbound side. Then again, the westbound side is less needed, and GDOT wants to add ramp braids back to Chamblee Dunwoody...

[Henry]

Methinks that this should be discussed in Fictional Highways, because some of these suggestions may never come to pass.

[Finrod]

Johnson Ferry Road, Mt. Vernon, and Roswell Road in Sandy Springs, but the chance of that happening is zero.

[Tom958]

For decades, US 78 and GA 124 was regarded as the most congested intersection in the state and was supposedly considered for an interchange, but it never happened and the DLT intersection that got built there instead is surely all that will ever happen.

[ibthebigd]

I'd like to see US 41 upgraded from Hampton to I-75 kinda like what INDOT did in Carmel Indiana

SM-G996U

[Gnutella]

This is not in the Atlanta area, but the intersection of U.S. 29 and GA 72 in Athens could stand to be upgraded to an interchange. Delays on both routes are getting longer during peak commuting times. Also, turning from U.S. 29 southbound onto GA 72 eastbound is dangerous at night, because the turn is almost 135°, and there's no lighting, and the path of the turn is not marked, so a lot of people mistakenly turn into the westbound lanes if there's nobody waiting in them at the traffic signal.

The entrance to Athens Tech should be included in this as well, since it's just a quarter of a mile south of the intersection with GA 72.

[wriddle082]

Essentially GDOT needs to look at studies showing what the busiest surface intersections in the state are (assuming they study such things, as I wound assume most DOTs would), and then study grade separations to make them flow more smoothly.  At one time, Tennessee's busiest surface intersection was that of US 41/70S/231 and TN 96 in Murfreesboro.  That intersection is now a SPUI.  It took a while for this to be fully realized, as they first concentrated on improving alternate routes, such as Medical Center Pkwy and building an interchange for TN 99 and I-24, but it was eventually done, and it's a much better situation now.

[Tom958]

This is not in the Atlanta area, but the intersection of U.S. 29 and GA 72 in Athens could stand to be upgraded to an interchange.

Off topic, but I've long wondered why the connection from that intersection to what's now the Athens Perimeter is there at all. The former route of US 29 had been widened for a mile north of the new freeway and a more-than-minimal interchange built between the two. It would've been cheaper and, IMO, better to leave US 29 there and do away with the ridiculous clusterfrig interchange between new US 29 and the Athens Perimeter. 

[Tom958]

Essentially GDOT needs to look at studies showing what the busiest surface intersections in the state are (assuming they study such things, as I wound assume most DOTs would), and then study grade separations to make them flow more smoothly.  At one time, Tennessee's busiest surface intersection was that of US 41/70S/231 and TN 96 in Murfreesboro.  That intersection is now a SPUI.  It took a while for this to be fully realized, as they first concentrated on improving alternate routes, such as Medical Center Pkwy and building an interchange for TN 99 and I-24, but it was eventually done, and it's a much better situation now.

One would think that would happen, indeed. Still, I'm amazed at the degree to which people here have come up blank. The first two from the OP are easy to see...

1.) Windy Hill Rd SE and US 41 in Marietta (SPUI)
2.) SR 54 & SR 74 in Peachtree City (folded diamond or left-turn flyover)

...but there aren't many obvious others. For one thing, there could be a rule of "Thou shalt not have an at-grade intersection of two six-lane roads," but I don't think we have a single one.

[ran4sh]

This is not in the Atlanta area, but the intersection of U.S. 29 and GA 72 in Athens could stand to be upgraded to an interchange.

Off topic, but I've long wondered why the connection from that intersection to what's now the Athens Perimeter is there at all. The former route of US 29 had been widened for a mile north of the new freeway and a more-than-minimal interchange built between the two. It would've been cheaper and, IMO, better to leave US 29 there and do away with the ridiculous clusterfrig interchange between new US 29 and the Athens Perimeter. 

That widening is very recent compared to when new/current US 29 was built. About 15-20 years ago the old US 29 was still just a two or three-lane road.

[Finrod]

Another intersection that probably should be an interchange but likely never will be is US 41/Cobb Parkway and Barrett Parkway.  Too much development in the immediate vicinity.

[Tomahawkin]

Just about every intersection and widening on US 41 over needs to be done in Cobb County! It should be 4 lanes in each direction from Vinings to up past Kennesaw. US 41 is a backup route many use when traffic on IH 75 is FUBAR, which is often especially in the summer when people use it to get to the Battery for Braves games!

[Finrod]

Just about every intersection and widening on US 41 over needs to be done in Cobb County! It should be 4 lanes in each direction from Vinings to up past Kennesaw. US 41 is a backup route many use when traffic on IH 75 is FUBAR, which is often especially in the summer when people use it to get to the Battery for Braves games!

They already have the ROW to make Cobb Parkway 4x4 from I-285 to the South Marietta Loop which would be a great start.

They just have to prioritize actually building it.

[RoadWarrior56]

Sugarloaf Parkway @ Lawrenceville Highway (US 29) in Gwinnett County.  I lived near that intersection for 26 years.  It is the intersection from hell!

[Tomahawkin]

Yes, Having lived a year off Sugarloaf and Five Forks/Trickum, that intersection is FUBAR. Sugarloaf and Scenic Highway should be 6-8 lanes all throughout Gwinnett, IMO

[ibthebigd]

US 41 all the way from Atlanta Motor Speedway to I-75

SM-G996U

[jakeroot]

Sugarloaf Parkway @ Lawrenceville Highway (US 29) in Gwinnett County.  I lived near that intersection for 26 years.  It is the intersection from hell!

Yes, Having lived a year off Sugarloaf and Five Forks/Trickum, that intersection is FUBAR. Sugarloaf and Scenic Highway should be 6-8 lanes all throughout Gwinnett, IMO

I'm interested in taking a stab at this redesigning this intersection, can someone elaborate on the pressing issues?

[ttownfeen]

Boulevard and Freedom Pkwy!!!