Transportation Officials Ready to Open Georgia 400 Shoulder

Today, state transportation officials revealed plans to improve traffic on the busiest stretch of Georgia 400. Southbound drivers could see some relief from Holcomb Bridge Road to the North Springs MARTA station. Starting Monday morning between 6:30 and 9:30, commuters on that five-and-a half mile section of the highway will have the option of using the shoulder. Georgia Department of Transportation commissioner Keith Golden says the plan should ease traffic, but adds it’s not a cure-all.

“We’ve completed some simulation work, and it’s not going to be significant, I mean we’re not going to try to oversell this,” Golden says, “It’s just a small tool to try to extend those shoulder times at the peak times and try to lessen that burden. I think you’ll see some positive results.”

The last major attempt to ease traffic in the metro Atlanta area was when HOV lanes on I-85 were converted to toll lanes. Commuters were quick to complain the lanes were underused and only made traffic worse. But Golden encouraged drivers to take a wait-and-see approach to the Georgia 400 project.