Atlanta

[Georgia Guardrail]

According to GDOT, the I-85/SR 74 interchange project is now in letting.  This is a very important interchange for the south metro area (Fairburn, PTC) that frequent backs up. Hopefully construction will start on it very soon.  It will be a partial cloverleaf.

Interchange Project

[Plutonic Panda]

Looks good. On the schematic of the road widening, If this were Oklahoma, there would probably be about 20 curb cuts added. lol. Not a bad design. This is where I think cloverleaves or Parclo's are appropriate.

[Tomahawkin]

Has anyone seen the new 285 top end express lanes video on Youtube that dropped 2+ weeks ago? and on GDOT's website? IMO that construction will take 12 years to complete! 285 will be like 635 in North Dallas! The new flyovers at all 3 interchanges (75,400, and 85) are impressive and will make the interchanges a 5 level stack

[Gnutella]

The six-lane expansion of I-85 from Jefferson to Commerce is almost finished. Six lanes are now open from Jefferson to the Oconee River bridge. GDOT was still putting the finishing touches on the Oconee River Bridge when I passed through last week, and putting new asphalt down for the right northbound lane between the bridge and Commerce.

One big concern I have now, though, is the lack of a deceleration lane for Exit 137 northbound. During peak travel times, the off-ramp can back up almost to the mainline, and I worry that exiting traffic during those times will have to use the outer shoulder to keep from creating a dangerous situation. GDOT made a big mistake by not making accommodations for a deceleration lane at such a busy interchange.

[architect77]

The six-lane expansion of I-85 from Jefferson to Commerce is almost finished. Six lanes are now open from Jefferson to the Oconee River bridge. GDOT was still putting the finishing touches on the Oconee River Bridge when I passed through last week, and putting new asphalt down for the right northbound lane between the bridge and Commerce.

One big concern I have now, though, is the lack of a deceleration lane for Exit 137 northbound. During peak travel times, the off-ramp can back up almost to the mainline, and I worry that exiting traffic during those times will have to use the outer shoulder to keep from creating a dangerous situation. GDOT made a big mistake by not making accommodations for a deceleration lane at such a busy interchange.

This new section of I-85 looks great, and Georgia DOT excels at smooth pavement. I-75 inside 285 is new and smooth as silk. I-85 through Gwinnett is getting repaved right now.

GDOT has its act together now more than ever. The giant, fat type on the overhead signage is like I always thought it should be for the big nexus of the Southeast. The unofficial capital of the Southern states, what Chicago is to the Midwest. And the entire metro has almost no visible trash along the freeways. It's exemplary.

Now hopefully they'll redo the overhead signage to/from the airport to downtown.

And I've tried to get some new standard license plates designed. I mailed the commissioner some crude ideas (I'm not a trained graphic designer). But our 2012 standard/alternate plates have continued over twice as long as every prior issue. I know it helps sell the specialty plates, but it's time for a new, simple standard plate design.

I like the white alternate plate but I wish they'd screen back the peach to not obfuscate the digits on top. The standard plate is a lousy rendition of the winning design in 2012. No item is centered on the plate (everything about a car's rear end is centered on an axis) and I think it's time to be retired.

[Georgia]

I was driving the west side perimeter today towards the airport and CW Matthews had a survey crew out at the western 20/285 interchange.  hoping it is PE for the construction project

[Great Lakes Roads]

An updated video of the proposed I-285/I-20 west interchange rebuild...

Now, compare that video to the one that GDOT released back in January 2024.

[Tom958]

Now, compare that video to the one that GDOT released back in January 2024.

Months late on my part, but thanks for that. The design for 285-400 was changed after the project was awarded, but it was made more elaborate, not less as this appears to have done.

[Georgia Guardrail]

Now, compare that video to the one that GDOT released back in January 2024.

Months late on my part, but thanks for that. The design for 285-400 was changed after the project was awarded, but it was made more elaborate, not less as this appears to have done.

I think the new design looks cleaner and a bit more compact with both directions of I 285 right next to each other.  Though I wish they had labeled the video which road was which.

[Georgia Guardrail]

The Akers Mill Road I 75 Express lanes entrance is now open.

Express Lanes.

[Tomahawkin]

Welp, according to the Henry County news. IH 75 is going to build 2 more toll lanes in 2029 (20 years too late! IMO!), and get rid of the reversible toll lanes! Dumb Arse GDOT should have made 4 total toll lanes (2 NB, and 2 SB) from the start! WTF were they thinking? IMO, IH 75 needs to be 10 lanes total all the way to Macon to accommodate vacation traffic!

[Georgia Guardrail]

I wonder how they are going to do this since they already built out the middle reversable toll lane.  I'm assuming they get rid of that or it becomes part of the original freeway. 

Will the I-75 South express lanes be similar to the Northside "tollercoaster" with lots of high bridges?  I haven't seen any renderings yet.

They should also upgrade the northside I-75 express lanes to be two lanes in both directions although that may be next to impossible to do now.

[Tomahawkin]

I don't know, but they should just do an overhaul. 75 between 675 and 285 needs toll lanes. The SR 85 Ramp to 75 needs to be rebuilt and that Bottleneck where 75 goes to 3 lanes south of 285 needs to be addressed. Add to that the Forest Pkwy bridges over IH 75 need to be rebuilt as those Bridges were built in the 60's....

[ElishaGOtis]

I wonder how they are going to do this since they already built out the middle reversable toll lane.  I'm assuming they get rid of that or it becomes part of the original freeway. 

Will the I-75 South express lanes be similar to the Northside "tollercoaster" with lots of high bridges?  I haven't seen any renderings yet.

They should also upgrade the northside I-75 express lanes to be two lanes in both directions although that may be next to impossible to do now.

I sound like a broken record with my opinions on this but...

I hope they won't make the same mistake they did with the tollercoaster. The fact that the speed limit and design speed in the express lanes is LOWER than the general purpose lanes is kinda messed up imho  (55 express 65 general south of 575, and 65 express 70 general on 575).

[sprjus4]

I wonder how they are going to do this since they already built out the middle reversable toll lane.  I'm assuming they get rid of that or it becomes part of the original freeway. 

Will the I-75 South express lanes be similar to the Northside "tollercoaster" with lots of high bridges?  I haven't seen any renderings yet.

They should also upgrade the northside I-75 express lanes to be two lanes in both directions although that may be next to impossible to do now.

I sound like a broken record with my opinions on this but...

I hope they won't make the same mistake they did with the tollercoaster. The fact that the speed limit and design speed in the express lanes is LOWER than the general purpose lanes is kinda messed up imho  (55 express 65 general south of 575, and 65 express 70 general on 575).

Wow, I never even realized that. I understand the roller coaster aspect of the lanes (which it's really neat how they put them in there to begin with) can limited the design speed in some areas, but I don't know why they can't post it at 65 mph and then have advisory speeds where needed.

I imagine trucks are banned in the lanes so that should allow a little more flexibility in speed setting as well.

I-575 is strange... 65 mph in the middle where you pay, yet 70 mph on the free lanes? Nothing geometrically different... that should get changed.

[Tomahawkin]

Saw a Nasty truck wreck at IH 20 and Thorton Rd interchange this morning. For The love! They need to gut that antiquated interchange and rebuild it with flyovers. A lot of people and truck drivers use that route to bypass 285 to get to the airport and Florida. Same with the Jimmy Carter Blvd interchange over IH 85.It needs to be gutted and rebuilt as well. That DDI BS was a band-aid on a bullet wound. I said that when Garbage ASS GDOT did this over 15 years ago! What other state route interchanges in the area over congested interstates need to be gutted and redone? Those temporary DDI's do little in the long-term,. I love South Florida's philosophy where they build flyover interchanges where major state roads intersect the interstates

[Georgia]

Saw a boring rig last week at the western 20-285 interchange. 
PE is progressing at least

[Tomahawkin]

Does This mean that they are about to start clearing land for it? "Tease The Folks!"

[architect77]

Saw a Nasty truck wreck at IH 20 and Thorton Rd interchange this morning. For The love! They need to gut that antiquated interchange and rebuild it with flyovers. A lot of people and truck drivers use that route to bypass 285 to get to the airport and Florida. Same with the Jimmy Carter Blvd interchange over IH 85.It needs to be gutted and rebuilt as well. That DDI BS was a band-aid on a bullet wound. I said that when Garbage ASS GDOT did this over 15 years ago! What other state route interchanges in the area over congested interstates need to be gutted and redone? Those temporary DDI's do little in the long-term,. I love South Florida's philosophy where they build flyover interchanges where major state roads intersect the interstates

GDOT is about to embark on 30+ miles of Express Lanes on I-285 most of which will be elevated with ramps galore connecting with existing interchanges. Think about 4 elevated lanes connecting with GA400 and I-85 at Spaghetti Junction. There are going to dozens and dozens of flyovers. ----Yes the DDIs are cramped at Jimmy Carter and Pleasant Hill, but throughput is still good.

[Tomahawkin]

I saw the video to it on YouTube about 6 months ago. A project like that will take 12+ years to complete, considering that the 400/285 interchange almost took 8 years to complete and still has issues with the ramps to Roswell road. I do like the flyover. They will make those interchanges resemble the ones in Texas

[mariethefoxy]

The six-lane expansion of I-85 from Jefferson to Commerce is almost finished. Six lanes are now open from Jefferson to the Oconee River bridge. GDOT was still putting the finishing touches on the Oconee River Bridge when I passed through last week, and putting new asphalt down for the right northbound lane between the bridge and Commerce.

One big concern I have now, though, is the lack of a deceleration lane for Exit 137 northbound. During peak travel times, the off-ramp can back up almost to the mainline, and I worry that exiting traffic during those times will have to use the outer shoulder to keep from creating a dangerous situation. GDOT made a big mistake by not making accommodations for a deceleration lane at such a busy interchange.

GDOT has its act together now more than ever. The giant, fat type on the overhead signage is like I always thought it should be for the big nexus of the Southeast. The unofficial capital of the Southern states, what Chicago is to the Midwest. And the entire metro has almost no visible trash along the freeways. It's exemplary.

Now hopefully they'll redo the overhead signage to/from the airport to downtown.

I always liked the thin font ones with the full width tab, they were uniquely Georgia. at least 400 has a good run of them left that are in decent shape