Atlanta

[Buck87]

How soon are they looking to do the 285/20 eastside project?

[Tom958]

How soon are they looking to do the 285/20 eastside project?

Construction in 2022.

I posted screenshots of the plan sheets on Facebook last night and went to the public info meeting tonight. Long story short: I and everyone I know who's looked at the plans is concerned with capacity and weaving problems on the eastbound CD. Have a look yourself and comment! at https://majormobilityga.com/projects/eastsideic/.

Also, there is no westbound CD. They call it one, but it's not. It's braided ramps.

[Tomahawkin]

Dammit. I got teased! This stuff needs to be done ASAP.  I'm sure truck drivers will agree

[Buck87]

I and everyone I know who's looked at the plans is concerned with capacity and weaving problems on the eastbound CD.

Agreed, that's the first thing I noticed when looking at the rendering. It doesn't look much different than the current setup leading to Wesley Chapel. My sister uses 20 eastbound on her afternoon commute and that whole section from 285 to Panola is consistently the worst freeway traffic she sees, though she's typically though there by 3pm before it gets too terrible.

[ClaytonCarte]

I hope the money to fund this project and the 285/75 south of Atlanta road projects are being funded by money collected from the recent toll lane projects???

The MMIP projects are being funded with the additional gas tax revenue from Georgia passing the transportation funding act of 2015 (HB170). Toll collections go to pay back the bonds borrowed to construct them.

[Tomahawkin]

Thanks for the 411 about what does the Money from tolls gets allocated to, as well as the gas tax. Its about time I see where the hell that tax revenue goes to? Those taxes should have been implemented after the Olympics came here, IMO

[Tomahawkin]

Just saw that several of the bridges along IH 285 east in Dekalb county will be replaced starting in late 2021. This includes the outdated Covington highway bridge. I wonder is going to correlate with the toll lane project (from IH 20 to Henderson Rd?) that will be constructed afterwards??? Also there are plans to improve the interchange at 285 and P.I.B. (Peachtree Industrial blvd). That interchange should have been improved 20 years ago, IMO...

[Tom958]

Three weeks later...

Just saw that several of the bridges along IH 285 east in Dekalb county will be replaced starting in late 2021. This includes the outdated Covington highway bridge. I wonder is going to correlate with the toll lane project (from IH 20 to Henderson Rd?) that will be constructed afterwards???

Yes, it will.

Also there are plans to improve the interchange at 285 and P.I.B. (Peachtree Industrial blvd). That interchange should have been improved 20 years ago, IMO...

The scheme for 285 at PIB strikes me as marginal at best and possibly counterproductive. It involves separating the loop offramp from WB 285 to SB 141 from the mainline and combining it with the ramp to NB 141. Doing this will shorten the weave distance back to Buford Highway, which is too short already. They'll also remove the slip ramp to Flowers Road, which they could do as a standalone.

Other than removing that slip ramp, I don't think there are any minor improvements to that interchange that are worth doing. 

[Tomahawkin]

@Tom, I agree with you on what's going to happen with 285 and PIB. Also Why the #### did they build a new subdivision right next to that interchange? Knowing that is a high priority corridor that needs drastic improvements... I just dont get it...

[Tomahawkin]

Saw earlier on the future 400 express lanes project that there will be a DDI at Holcomb Bridge and 400 probably in the next 4 years. Looking at all the work needed to be done on GA 400 for 2 Express lanes in each direction, it may not be done til 2026 at the earliest, considering its taking 4+ years to do the 400/285 interchange. Retractable roofed stadiums get completed in 2 years now. I guess GDOT ran out of money for the 400/285 interchange? Due to the 85 bridge collapse???

[Tomahawkin]

Found out that the 75 and 285 C/D ramp improvements near Forest Pkwy. Should be done in 14 months.  The 285/20 Flyovers (2) and C/D improvements from Snapfinger Creek will start in late 2022 which is upsetting because improvements at that interchange need to start ASAP. The backups there are the one if the reasons why 285 south from Doraville to IH 20 start at 3pm and last til 8pm. More 411 on the layout of these designs can be seen on GDOT's website

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyHoyGsn9FQ

Here is a visualization of the I-285 Top-End express lanes in Atlanta.

[Tom958]

Here is a visualization of the I-285 Top-End express lanes in Atlanta.

I went to a public information meeting today, and the display boards were excellent. Hopefully they'll appear online soon, if they haven't already.

I find exit 90 on I-20 in Covington to be pretty interesting. When was this configuration built?

1992. http://bridgereports.com/1100786

[dfwmapper]

Here is a visualization of the I-285 Top-End express lanes in Atlanta.

Is that a 6 level stack at the GA 400 interchange? And here I thought our express lane interchanges in Texas were the craziest things around.

[Tomahawkin]

I love the 285 toll lane project. Both interchanges at 400 and Spaghetti Junction will be 6 level stacks and in addition there will be led lighting on the elevated toll lane sections. As dangerous as 285 is, its beyond me as to why there is no lighting on one of the most congested interstates in the country

[Jmiles32]

That I-285 Top-end visualization is awesome and blows my mind. I will say tho that it does seem like a waste to have the express lanes start and end in the middle of I-285 when for a majority of their length they are on the outside of I-285. Additionally, we all know that these lanes will certainly be extended further down I-285 in the near future so why not just plan ahead?

[Plutonic Panda]

That is awesome! I can not wait to see this in more states.

[Tomahawkin]

Jmiles. The 285 Express lanes In east Dekalb county are not going to be elevated. They will be part of the main interstate from Henderson Rd down to the IH 20 or Flat Shoals interchange. Which I think is a mistake IMO

[Jmiles32]

Jmiles. The 285 Express lanes In east Dekalb county are not going to be elevated. They will be part of the main interstate from Henderson Rd down to the IH 20 or Flat Shoals interchange. Which I think is a mistake IMO

Agreed. Might as well be consistent.

[armadillo speedbump]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyHoyGsn9FQ

Here is a visualization of the I-285 Top-End express lanes in Atlanta.

Thanks for posting this.  LOL at GDOT, that can't be the final design.  1:50-2:25, note how they've combined the new westbound 285 to northbound 75 ramps into the old south 75 to east 285 ramp, and a backwards connection to the new east 285 express.  Other than moving wrong way drunk drivers on the eastbound 285 & express to 75, it doesn't have utility.  Oops.  Good thing they turned off the comments.

Sorry, but this will still be woefully under capacity.  It's like GDOT designs for demand 10 minutes into the future.  I'm normally understanding about budget limitations, but with hardly a grid system and so much funneled onto just a few interstate corridors, this ain't gonna cut it.  Terrible traffic so widespread is the biggest reason why I will never move back to Atlanta.  Though I am certain y'all will find a way to continue to survive without me....

[Tom958]

Thanks for posting this.  LOL at GDOT, that can't be the final design.  1:50-2:25, note how they've combined the new westbound 285 to northbound 75 ramps into the old south 75 to east 285 ramp, and a backwards connection to the new east 285 express.  Other than moving wrong way drunk drivers on the eastbound 285 & express to 75, it doesn't have utility.  Oops.  Good thing they turned off the comments.

Do you not realize that the northwest corridor express lanes are one way and reversible?

[Buck87]

Speaking of that, how have those northwest corridor express lanes been working out now that they're up and running?

[Tom958]

Speaking of that, how have those northwest corridor express lanes been working out now that they're up and running?

Apparently pretty well. From what I've heard, they've shaved the peaks off of rush hours quite convincingly. I think it's fair to say that most people were skeptics about them, but they've worked better than people expected. I expect the current study for I-85 north to recommend something similar, though likely two-way like the ones proposed for 400.

[sprjus4]

How about that Outer Perimeter?

[Finrod]

How about that Outer Perimeter?

I'd be happy if they just build expressways that don't go to Atlanta, since as is every expressway in the state save I-95 is designed to funnel traffic to Atlanta.  E.g.:

Calhoun to Rome to Carrolton to Newnan.

Columbus to Macon/Warner Robins to Augusta.

Rome to Cartersville to Canton to Cumming to GA 316 east of Lawrenceville to Athens to Augusta.

I'll stop here since this is turning fictional.