Flex Lane To Close Permanently For Transform 400 Project

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — Beginning Friday, April 6, North Perimeter Contractors will permanently close the Ga. 400 northbound flexible shoulder lane used for travel from Abernathy Road to the Pitts Road overpass in Sandy Springs.

The closure is needed for the construction of collector-distributor lanes, walls, bridges and interchange improvements for the massive Transform 285/400 project, the Georgia Department of Transportation said.

The existing 12-foot outside shoulder from Abernathy Road to Pitts Road will be reduced to an 8-foot shoulder by placing temporary concrete barrier. Motorists will only be permitted to use the narrowed 8-foot shoulder for emergency purposes; the shoulder lane will no longer be available as a travel lane at any time.

Crews will remove the existing flex lane pavement markings, restripe the shoulder, and install static signs to further notify motorists of the flex lane closure. The new entry point for the northbound flex lane will be located just north of Pitts Road and will be signed accordingly. The flex lanes north of Pitts Road will remain open daily to commuters from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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“Permanently closing the flex lanes will increase safety for construction crews as well as motorists by keeping traffic further away from the project’s active work zone,” said Albert Welch, Georgia DOT program delivery engineer for major projects. “The Georgia DOT understands the inconvenience for commuters, particularly during morning and afternoon rush hours, but the improvements the project will bring to the corridor, in both safety and efficiency, will outweigh this disruption. We thank the traveling public in advance for their patience while we work to build a better Georgia.”

Once construction is completed, GDOT notes the flex lanes south of Pitts Road will remain closed, as they will be replaced by the collector-distributor lanes. These lanes will run parallel to S.R. 400 and I-285, connecting both roadways to local road entrance and exit ramps, separating slower moving traffic and improving speeds on mainline S.R. 400 and I-285. The new lanes will improve the ability for vehicles to merge safely while entering and exiting the roadway.

The CD lanes from Ga. 400 and I-285 will connect through a series of bridges creating new flyover ramps through the current interchange. Georgia DOT encourages commuters to consider alternative modes of travel, such as carpooling and transit to avoid construction impacts.

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