Atlanta

[ibthebigd]

I went thru Atlanta over the weekend it was a mess on the south side.

Toll by plate would also be nice for the people out of state on the Express lanes.

Are the Express lanes bringing in what they were projected?

SM-G950U

[Tomahawkin]

All the 400 and 285 express lanes are already in the planning phases. The Problem is that I don't think any of those projects will be complete til 2027 and beyond. The good thing about the 85 and 75 express lanes, is that the funds from those are accelerating those future toll lane projects as well as interchange improvements at both 285 and IH 20 on both sides of Atlanta. They were 25+ years overdue

[Tomahawkin]

And yes. The 85 express lanes can cost 20 dollars 1 way before the Pandemic. I'm not sure what the rates are now. But the traffic now all over is just as bad as it was in 2019...

[sprjus4]

I went thru Atlanta over the weekend it was a mess on the south side.

Toll by plate would also be nice for the people out of state on the Express lanes.

Are the Express lanes bringing in what they were projected?

SM-G950U

Agreed, though they utilize the E-ZPass system now so that has expanded options.

[ran4sh]

I went thru Atlanta over the weekend it was a mess on the south side.

Toll by plate would also be nice for the people out of state on the Express lanes.

Are the Express lanes bringing in what they were projected?

SM-G950U

Agreed, though they utilize the E-ZPass system now so that has expanded options.

They don't accept E-ZPass yet. Georgia has joined the E-ZPass IAG and will implement E-ZPass interoperability in the next year or so.

[architect77]

I went thru Atlanta over the weekend it was a mess on the south side.

Toll by plate would also be nice for the people out of state on the Express lanes.

Are the Express lanes bringing in what they were projected?

SM-G950U

Revenue generation isn't the objective. Keeping the lanes moving at 45 mph or higher is what the tolls regulate.

Although unpleasant to people's finances it's actually a genius way to have total control on the traffic flow of a given lane or road forever into the future. Can't have it's efficacy defeated by the masses.

[Tomahawkin]

The C/D road on 285 west from 400 to Roswell Road will open in a week. This is great because the traffic from that ramp and interchange is so antiquated that the traffic always backs up onto 285 all the time, even on the weekends

[Tom958]

On Sunday afternoon, I investigated the 285-400 interchange after the latest round of ramp changes, including the opening of the mile-and-a-half-long westbound CD and offramp to Roswell  Road. The signage situation is inherently difficult but made worse by indifference to detail, such as having an unneeded trailblazer block the view of the undersized 3/4 mile sign for the Peachtree Dunwoody Road exit.

The current configuration crams three offramps to four destinations right on top of each other, as this GDOT masterpiece demonstrates:



This one went up a couple of weeks ago, when the 400 offramps were reconfigured but before the new Roswell Road exit was opened, with the Roswell Road exit being 1 3/4 miles out instead of 1/2. As wordy as it is, it would've been a good idea to eliminate the useless NEXT 4 EXITS tab, especially since this is an overlay on a sign for three destinations. But noooo. As it stands, though, it's essentially moot: the scene there is so chaotic that I missed it on my first pass even knowing it was there! That said, maybe it'll be useful in slow-moving rush hour traffic.

This master-blaster overhead is unfortunately located just beyond and is obstructed by the Perimeter Center Parkway bridge, which impedes the already-difficult task of interpreting it. It also introduces exits 27A and 27B, replacing exit 27 for both directions.



To me, the most objectionable aspect of this assembly is the unfortunate placement of the new EXIT ONLY arrow for the Roswell Road-400 south exit. The new offramp leaves 285 as a single lane, then widens to two lanes before splitting. I think it would've been possible to stripe the offramp for two lanes with an option lane and thereby provide two arrows, one white and one black, one for each destination, with each directly over the appropriate lanes instead of confusingly far off as the lone arrow is now. Yes, I know that having a white down arrow over an option lane is a no-no per the MUTCD, but this assembly's previous incarnation had one, so drivers would be familiar with it. That's just me, though.

In case you haven't seen them yet, navigation here is also aided by these beautiful pavement shields, which are sure to become an Atlanta landmark.





I've stated repeatedly that the completed project will restripe the 285 mainline back to eight lanes from ten. With this recent change, the process has started: westbound 285 is now only four lanes from the Medusa split to just before Roswell Road. Speaking of which: this sign was still in service when I was there on Sunday afternoon even though that offramp is gone, never to return. Hopefully they'll get around to tarping it over before too long. I doubt that they'll bother taking it down until they demolish the bridge.

[Tom958]

It wasn't that long ago that GDOT announced that the 285-400 interchange project would be substantially complete by the end of 2021. I found this assertion to be absurd given that the new design carries both northbound and southbound 400 under 285 instead of just northbound, thereby requiring replacement in situ of the two bridges carrying 285 over 400. I thought that temporary detour bridges would have to be constructed, that that couldn't be done until the existing southbound 400 bridge was demolished, after southbound 400 was rerouted via the new southbound CD roads. However, I just now stumbled upon this wonderful video from May of 2019 showing the 285 mainline narrowed to six lanes and crammed onto the southern, eastbound existing bridge while the westbound bridge is being replaced-- all while the original southbound 400 bridge is still in use!

Another possibility could be that it's been decided to narrow the new southbound 400 roadway to two lanes if that would make it possible to cram it under the existing bridges.

We'll see, I guess.

[Tomahawkin]

Great assessments on that interchange progress. You can take it to the Bank that no way this interchange is completed by the end of the year, considering that they are transforming the Abernathy interchange into a DDI, also the permanent overhead sign bridges need to be installed as well as overhead lighting (hopefully l).

[architect77]

On Sunday afternoon, I investigated the 285-400 interchange after the latest round of ramp changes, including the opening of the mile-and-a-half-long westbound CD and offramp to Roswell  Road. The signage situation is inherently difficult but made worse by indifference to detail, such as having an unneeded trailblazer block the view of the undersized 3/4 mile sign for the Peachtree Dunwoody Road exit.

The current configuration crams three offramps to four destinations right on top of each other, as this GDOT masterpiece demonstrates:



This one went up a couple of weeks ago, when the 400 offramps were reconfigured but before the new Roswell Road exit was opened, with the Roswell Road exit being 1 3/4 miles out instead of 1/2. As wordy as it is, it would've been a good idea to eliminate the useless NEXT 4 EXITS tab, especially since this is an overlay on a sign for three destinations. But noooo. As it stands, though, it's essentially moot: the scene there is so chaotic that I missed it on my first pass even knowing it was there! That said, maybe it'll be useful in slow-moving rush hour traffic.

This master-blaster overhead is unfortunately located just beyond and is obstructed by the Perimeter Center Parkway bridge, which impedes the already-difficult task of interpreting it. It also introduces exits 27A and 27B, replacing exit 27 for both directions.



To me, the most objectionable aspect of this assembly is the unfortunate placement of the new EXIT ONLY arrow for the Roswell Road-400 south exit. The new offramp leaves 285 as a single lane, then widens to two lanes before splitting. I think it would've been possible to stripe the offramp for two lanes with an option lane and thereby provide two arrows, one white and one black, one for each destination, with each directly over the appropriate lanes instead of confusingly far off as the lone arrow is now. Yes, I know that having a white down arrow over an option lane is a no-no per the MUTCD, but this assembly's previous incarnation had one, so drivers would be familiar with it. That's just me, though.

In case you haven't seen them yet, navigation here is also aided by these beautiful pavement shields, which are sure to become an Atlanta landmark.





I've stated repeatedly that the completed project will restripe the 285 mainline back to eight lanes from ten. With this recent change, the process has started: westbound 285 is now only four lanes from the Medusa split to just before Roswell Road. Speaking of which: this sign was still in service when I was there on Sunday afternoon even though that offramp is gone, never to return. Hopefully they'll get around to tarping it over before too long. I doubt that they'll bother taking it down until they demolish the bridge.

So of course all of these signs are temporary and sloppiness has always been allowed in construction zones. But using the US shield shape for i-285 markings is unbelievable even if only temporary.

Regarding those painted shields on the pavement, I'm ok with them and believe they are helpful, but on a fast-moving highway I've always wondered if they should be split apart (i.e. one shield sliced horizontally in the 3 or 4 pieces) and arranged with spacing so that you have more time to see the shield and interpret the message.

Some of you might remember that they used to reverse the word order painted on high speed roads so that "LANE END 1000 FT"  would be painted on the roadway in the opposite order of a top to bottom stack of words. it looked funny but was done in hopes you'd get the message while moving at high speed. The shields on the pavement as they are now have come and gone almost too quickly to read. You rely on the repeated markings to understand.


I'm still confounded about how GDOT never, ever installs gantries to be level and not lean downward to the left or the right. It's as if it's mandated to not be visually level.

[ran4sh]

They're not permanent exit numbers, but it's worth noting that 27 A and B are in the wrong order (the exit numbers are in descending order, but 27 A exits before 27 B).

The completed interchange will have just one exit for both directions of 400, which is probably why no one noticed that mistake.

[Tom958]

I'm still confounded about how GDOT never, ever installs gantries to be level and not lean downward to the left or the right. It's as if it's mandated to not be visually level.

I shot this one with my robotic total station in prismless mode. It's 2'-3" out of level. I wish I'd made a guess beforehand. 

[Tomahawkin]

With the 285/400 interchange nearing completion? I'm guessing the next big project to begin will be the toll lanes on 400, from 285 to Windward Pkwy? There are some interchanges in Roswell and Alpharetta that needs some serious work done to them...

[Georgia]

With the 285/400 interchange nearing completion? I'm guessing the next big project to begin will be the toll lanes on 400, from 285 to Windward Pkwy? There are some interchanges in Roswell and Alpharetta that needs some serious work done to them...

yea, that has been the stated plan.  400 Express Lanes then the 2 20-285 interchanges(east side first) then top 285 express lanes(eastern portion)

[Tomahawkin]

What's the start date on the 400 express lanes? Tease the Atlanta crowd! And Please do something at the 400 exits in Roswell and Alpharetta! Even SR 20 in Cumming is Seriously congested because it's the closet thing to a outer perimeter...

[Georgia]

400 express lanes- start 4th quarter 2022 end 1st quarter 2027
285-20 east- start 2nd quarter 2023 end 2nd quarter 2026
285-20 west- start 4th quarter 2023 end 2nd quarter 2027
truck lanes- start 2nd quarter 2024 end 4th quarter 2027

this is all from the MMIP webpage and was updated early this week.

edit: here is the webpage http://majormobilityga.com

[Plutonic Panda]

Wow I feel sorry for anyone who has to drive that route.

[architect77]

I'm still confounded about how GDOT never, ever installs gantries to be level and not lean downward to the left or the right. It's as if it's mandated to not be visually level.

I shot this one with my robotic total station in prismless mode. It's 2'-3" out of level. I wish I'd made a guess beforehand. 

Your link was facing Southbound I-85 when i clicked on it, not sure if that was your intent, but at that same spot Northbound is one of most crooked in the whole metro. Northbound gantry approaching Jimmy Carter (Express overhead). For year's I asked GDOT to adjust this thing. I think with the bolts and an added plate on the center median wall it could be done.

Another really bad one is the West Paces exit gantry on I-75 North.

I don't know what they are thinking when they erect these things. I keep suggesting that they use a level with a bubble of water inside.

[D-Dey65]

I just thought of this issue this morning; As much as people in Metro Atlanta may complain about traffic on I-285, does anybody honestly think traffic would be better without it?

[sprjus4]

Nope. The suburbs not already located on I-85, I-20, and I-75 would still have likely still grown significantly with inadequate surface arterials to rely on connecting suburb to suburb or to connect to an interstate heading into town.

Through traffic would be forced through Downtown and there would be no redundancy in the network.

[Tomahawkin]

I really wish GDOT would invest more in making S.R. 20, 6-8 lanes throughout its entire routing. I oftentimes use it to get from Acworth to northern Gwinnett County as opposed to using 285. A lot of truck drivers do likewise to avoid Spaghetti Junction

[D-Dey65]

Nope. The suburbs not already located on I-85, I-20, and I-75 would still have likely still grown significantly with inadequate surface arterials to rely on connecting suburb to suburb or to connect to an interstate heading into town.

Through traffic would be forced through Downtown and there would be no redundancy in the network.

Well at least more people there realize that.

[MaxConcrete]

Photo in today's Wall Street Journal showing work at the 285/400 interchange. I don't know how recent it is.

[Tomahawkin]

It's pretty recent, I'm guessing taken within the last 10 days. For a interchange to take 5 years to build, it's underwhelming. It looks like it was built around 2000 when it should have been rebuilt...If anyone thinks it's impressive for a 5 year project, let me know why? I got spoiled by spending time in Texas the last 7 years on some of my vacations...