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The Georgia Department of Transportation announced that tree clearing will resume on six sections of State Route 400 in early August, as the multi-year, billion-dollar widening project enters a new construction phase.
In its July newsletter, GDOT also said SR 400’s southbound Exit 5, which provides access to the North Springs MARTA station, Abernathy Road, and Hammond Drive, will close “later this summer.”
While the exact timing of the widening project’s first major lane closure and detour is not known, the update tells affected commuters and residents to “be on the lookout for additional information in the coming weeks.”
Southbound Exit 5 closure
During the first phase of construction, crews will open two new temporary exits (5A and 5B) just south of the existing one to maintain access for southbound traffic. GDOT’s update said the temporary exits will open concurrently with the closure of the existing Exit 5.
GDOT and its contractor, Peach State Partners, divided the 16-mile project corridor into segments A, B, and C. The city of Sandy Springs includes all of Segment A, stretching to the Chattahoochee River, just inside the middle section.
The two temporary exits are 5B, North Springs MARTA Station, a transit-only exit located about half a mile south of the current Exit 5, and Abernathy Road and Hammond Drive, located about a mile south.
So far, most of the lane closures and construction activities have occurred between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. The state highway’s daily traffic volume exceeds 250,000 vehicles.
Heading into August and the new school year, motorists are advised to expect delays, exercise caution, and reduce their speed while traveling through work zones.
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• Sandy Springs residents rally against SR 400 construction impacts
• SR 400 Express Lanes project to start construction in April
• New documentary highlights Atlanta’s alarming rate of tree loss
In the next two weeks, motorists may notice minor shoulder reductions in certain areas as crews continue preparatory work and begin restriping operations throughout the project corridor for upcoming traffic shifts and changing roadway conditions.
Other construction updates
Along Segment B, stretching from Roberts Drive in north Sandy Springs through the city of Roswell to Kimball Bridge Road in Alpharetta, crews are installing new pavement markings and temporary concrete barriers.
The active construction areas are between Riverside and Holcomb Bridge (Exit 7) roads and Mansell (Exit 8) and Haynes Bridge (Exit 9) roads.
Throughout the corridor, earthwork, grubbing, and drainage improvements will continue. At Holcomb Bridge Road, the ongoing drainage work will remain outside of active travel lanes but within the right-of-way.
Segment C runs north to Shiloh Road in southern Forsyth County and has just one section designated for active construction. It’s from McGinnis Ferry Road (Exit 11B) to McFarland Parkway (Exit 12). Crews are installing fencing and erosion control measures in preparation for tree clearing, grubbing, and grading operations.
Beginning in late July, construction activity is expected to increase near McFarland Parkway. Crews will begin preparing the areas within three of the four ramp infields of the interchange for future construction operations. According to GDOT, support areas will help improve construction efficiency, reduce the need to transport materials throughout the corridor, and provide resources necessary for the northern portion of the project.
