Roswell-area commuters heading south on SR 400 will hit a new traffic pattern starting Saturday, Aug. 29, when the Georgia Department of Transportation closes the existing Exit 5 ramp and opens two temporary replacements as part of the massive SR 400 Express Lanes widening project.
The new Exit 5B will serve the North Springs MARTA Station, located about 0.6 miles south of the current Exit 5. Exit 5A, roughly 1.1 miles south, will provide access to Abernathy Road and Hammond Drive — not the reverse, as this article originally stated; GDOT's own August newsletter lists 5B for the MARTA station and 5A for Abernathy Road and Hammond Drive. Both ramps sit just inside Sandy Springs, but the construction zone stretches north to the Chattahoochee River at the Roswell border.
GDOT said in its August newsletter that access to all three destinations will remain available throughout construction and urged drivers to follow posted signage and allow extra travel time while adjusting to the new layout.
What's being built
The SR 400 Express Lanes project will add dynamically priced toll lanes in each direction along a 16-mile corridor running from the North Springs MARTA Station in Fulton County to McFarland Parkway in Forsyth County. Existing general-purpose lanes will remain free.
The project broke ground April 22 and carries a total investment of approximately $10.8 billion over a 55-year concession that includes 5.5 years of construction and 50 years of toll operations, according to lead contractor FlatironDragados. The new express lanes are expected to open in 2031.
SR 400 Peach Partners, a consortium of ACS Infra, Acciona and Meridiam — not "Peach State Partners," as this article originally called it — is delivering the project in partnership with GDOT and the State Road and Tollway Authority, according to FlatironDragados and the consortium's own site.
Construction already underway near Roswell
GDOT and SR 400 Peach Partners divided the corridor into segments A, B and C. Segment A covers all of Sandy Springs and extends to the Chattahoochee, putting Roswell commuters in the direct path of years of interchange and bridge work.
Crews in Segment A are performing earthwork near Spalding Drive and Northridge Road and preparing for upcoming traffic shifts, Rough Draft Atlanta reported. Additional work along the corridor includes temporary striping, concrete barrier installation, clearing and drainage. Most lane closures so far have been scheduled between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Roswell trail connection
The widening project will also create dedicated space under SR 400 for the planned Big Creek Greenway Community Connectivity Project, according to Roswell city planning documents. The approximately two-mile multi-use trail would connect Old Holcomb Bridge Road to Liberty Square Park.
What commuters should know
GDOT advised motorists to slow down, stay alert and treat the work zone like a school zone, particularly as the school year begins. No public comment meeting specific to the Roswell-area impacts has been announced.
Construction is expected to last through 2031.
