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Pictured above: Southbound roadway widening for the I-75 South Metro Express Lanes Project
One year in, Georgia Department of Transportation’s
(GDOT) Interstate 75 South Metro Express Lanes mobility
improvement project is moving along at an exciting pace.
With the majority of the work completed in widening the
highway’s southbound lanes and construction of 5 sound
barrier walls, the project is now 30% complete and well on
the way to bringing commuters better options for traveling
through the south side.
“We’re encouraged by the swift progress of the I-75 South
Metro construction,” says Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell
I-75 South Metro Express Lanes: Fast Facts
Georgia DOT is building two reversible managed
lanes, known as Georgia Express Lanes, along
perpetually crowded I-75 south of Atlanta
– 12 miles of new capacity extending from
McDonough Road to Stockbridge Highway.
The lanes will accommodate northbound traffic
during morning commute hours and southbound
traffic in the midday, afternoon and evenings.
These lanes are expected to open to traffic by
early 2017.
Fall 2015
McMurry. “Each day brings us closer to a better, more reliable
ride for commuters south of metro Atlanta.”
Once completed, the project will add two reversible managed
lanes along I-75 south of Atlanta, extending from McDonough
Road to Stockbridge Highway. Switching direction based on
the greatest need for traffic flow, the lanes will accommodate
northbound traffic during morning commute times and
southbound traffic in the afternoon and evening hours. Drivers
who purchase a Peach Pass from the State Road and Tollway
Authority (SRTA) will have access to the lanes.
Upcoming construction includes several key points along the
Express Lanes’ 12-mile stretch:
•
Mt. Carmel Road Bridge replacement – a 9-month
detour has begun (detailed information is on page 2)
•
I-675 Flyover Bridge
•
Widening of the Flippen Road Bridge
•
Jonesboro Road Express Lanes Access Bridge
•
34 new walls: 24 retaining walls and 10 sound walls
I-75 South Metro Express
Consectetuer #00
Project Milestone:
I-75 South Metro Express Lanes hits the 1-year mark
Find fact sheets, construction alerts and more on the Georgia
DOT I-75 Express Lanes page www.dot.ga.gov/DS/GEL.
www.dot.ga.gov/DS/GEL
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Project Progress!
Update: Mt. Carmel Bridge Closed
September 8 to Begin Reconstruction
The Mt. Carmel Bridge, built in 1957, was
closed on Tuesday September 8, 2015, to begin
reconstruction to accommodate the Express
Lanes passing underneath and make overall
improvements to the bridge. Traffic is being
directed around the construction, and the detours
will last approximately 9 months. The new Mt.
Carmel Bridge will include wider 14-foot lanes and
sidewalks.
Construction continues at the Flippen Road Bridge - September 2015
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During construction, Mt. Carmel Road is closed
to through traffic; however, local traffic is able to
travel on Mt. Carmel to access neighborhoods. To
expedite construction, the project team is removing
the entire bridge to replace it. (Full bridge closure
is necessary for shortening the construction time. If
one lane on the Mt. Carmel Bridge remained open,
the project length would increase from 9 months to
15 months.)
Detours follow these paths:
•
Traveling east on Mt. Carmel Road: Turn
left onto Mill Road, then head north.
Turn right onto Jonesboro Road,
crossing over I-75.
•
Traveling west on Jonesboro Road: Cross
over I-75 and turn left onto Mill Road,
then head south.
For more information and a detour map of the
Mt. Carmel Bridge closure, visit the Georgia DOT
I-75 South Metro Express Lanes page at www.dot.
ga.gov/DS/GEL.
Setting beams at the I-675 Flyover Bridge Support - September 2015
Pictured above: Demolition of the Mt. Carmel Bridge began on September 8, 2015
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Featured Partner: GRTA Xpress
Want a free-flowing, toll-free ride in the I-75 South Metro
Express Lanes — without ever touching the wheel? Take a
look at GRTA Xpress.
Not only do Xpress buses help commuters save time,
they also help reduce traffic. Right now, in the existing
express lane on I-85 in Gwinnett County, commuter buses
make up 2% of the vehicles in the lane during the peak
commuting times, but they carry over 26% of the people
moving through that lane. GRTA buses are moving more
people reliably through that congested corridor with fewer
vehicles, which frees up space in those lanes for other cars.
GRTA is also working on enhancements to the Xpress
service. According to Executive Director Chris Tomlinson,
in 2016 GRTA is rolling out a new service plan designed to
make existing service more reliable, effective, and easier
Pictured above: GRTA Xpress utilizing I-85 express lanes in Gwinnett County
Over the next few years, GRTA will explore additional
improvements to Xpress, including all-day service in
high-demand corridors and opening new markets with
service to destinations such as Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson
International Airport, in order to provide greater flexibility
for commuters and people traveling into and out of Atlanta.
Another priority will be to add more service and park-andride lots in the managed lanes areas.
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GRTA riders will benefit from all the time savings of the
Georgia Express Lanes, with none of the driving. That’s
because GRTA Xpress buses have full access to the Express
Lanes in all corridors.
to understand — matching service levels to existing
and projected demand and expanding service to new
employment destinations. That means increased service
hours and trip frequencies on high-demand routes; new,
streamlined routing patterns through Downtown Atlanta;
and new routes from Cobb, Gwinnett, and Forsyth Counties
to Perimeter Center, one of the state’s largest and fastestgrowing job centers. Riders can also expect technology
upgrades with real-time bus tracking via web and mobile
apps as well as public Wi-Fi for riders to use during their
commutes.
With the toll lane benefits that Xpress offers and the
upcoming service enhancements, it’s a great time to hop
on board. For much less than you spend on gas per month,
you could be riding comfortably and quickly to work each
day — getting back the time you’d normally have to be
watching the road. Xpress buses serve commuters coming
into the city center from all corners of the metro area.
For more information on Xpress routes serving your area,
check out www.Xpressga.com
Pictured above: GRTA Xpress Bus
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GDOT in the Community
Understanding Reversible Lanes
Since construction of the project began in Fall 2014, Georgia DOT
has worked with cities, counties, businesses, civic organizations
and residents to keep communities informed, answer questions and
address any concerns.
One of the most unique features of the I-75 South Metro
Express Lanes project is that the express lanes will be
reversible when they are open to the public in early 2017;
meaning the express lanes will be open to northbound traffic
heading to Atlanta in the morning and then will reverse to
carry southbound traffic away from Atlanta for the evening
commute.
Please email [email protected] if you would like to request
a Georgia DOT representative to present to your organization.
There will be well-marked roadway signage to ensure that
travelers understand how and when to access these lanes, as
well as safety features to prevent motorists from going in the
wrong direction when the lanes are reversed.
A combination of warning and barrier resistance gates at
every express lanes access point will be in place, as well as
warning gates at every express lanes exit ramp. In addition,
there will be 24-hour video coverage of the entire I-75 South
Metro Express Lanes system.
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Recently, project team staff made presentations to the city
councils of Stockbridge and Locust Grove. In these meetings, GDOT
Communications Program Manager Jill Goldberg and I-75 South
Metro Express Lanes Project Manager Sherl White presented project
overviews, including construction updates and an overview of the
benefits of using Express Lanes. In both meetings, State Road and
Tollway Authority (SRTA) representatives Bert Brantley and Malika
Reed Wilkins gave supporting information on SRTA’s involvement,
Peach Passes, and toll pricing.
This safety system of gates, three breakaway gates for
each toll entrance, will be employed to restrict or permit
access to the express lanes based on the current direction of
operations.
Pictured above: Project Manager Sherl White, second from left, discusses the project with Henry
County citizens.
Contact Information
Sherl White, I-75 South Metro Express Lanes Project Manager
Georgia Department of Transportation
One Georgia Center, 600 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30308
Phone: 404.631.1248 Email: [email protected]
Website: www.dot.ga.gov/DS/GEL
Pictured above: Illustration of an express lanes access point which will include a combination of
warning and barrier resistance gates.
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