Governor Perdue Cuts Ribbon on New Georgia 400 Lanes

Project part of Fast Forward Transportation Program

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue joined state transportation officials and community leaders from North Fulton today to celebrate the early completion of a major expansion to Georgia 400.

 "These new lanes on Georgia 400 are the first major Fast Forward project to be completed," said Governor Perdue. "Not only were we able to start construction years earlier than originally planned, this project is being opened to traffic months earlier than we thought possible. Bringing improvements to this corridor will make a positive difference to commuters who travel through North Fulton and give a boost to our economic development efforts in this part of Metro Atlanta."

In recent years, several major companies have announced either a new location or expanded their existing presence in North Fulton, including Newell Rubbermaid, HP and ADP.

In April 2004, Governor Perdue announced an aggressive program that has dramatically increased state transportation funding. The program was designed to relieve congestion in Metro Atlanta and promote economic development throughout the state. The Fast Forward program funds short-term congestion relief projects such as traffic signalization, ramp meters and additional HERO units, as well as accelerating schedules for major construction projects such as these additional lanes on Georgia 400 and the ongoing interchange project at Interstate 85 and State Route 316. Because of Fast Forward, state spending on transportation has more than doubled since the first year that Governor Perdue took office.

State Transportation Board Chairman Mike Evans said that relieving congestion on Georgia 400 is a priority for Georgia DOT.

"I'm pleased this most recent project is coming to fruition and I am even more delighted that this work extends into Forsyth County," Chairman Evans said. "Growth in Forsyth is booming and we need to help the county establish the transportation infrastructure it needs to support that growth."

With the completion of these new lanes, motorists will now have four lanes northbound for through traffic from I-285 until just prior to McFarland, where the inside (left) lane will drop and the outside (right) lane will become an "exit only" lane to McFarland.

The latest portion of the project to be completed occurred on Monday, when a northbound lane opened from Windward Parkway to McFarland Road. A new southbound lane, scheduled to open this weekend, will provide a third southbound lane from McFarland to Windward, resulting in three through lanes from McFarland to Holcomb Bridge Road and four southbound lanes from Holcomb Bridge to I-285.

 "This is an important piece of our efforts to improve traffic flow on Georgia 400," Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl said.  "We've got much more to do for certain, but we're making steady progress."

The Georgia 400 widening is being constructed by Archer Western Contractors, LTD, at a cost of $47.6 million.  The original completion date was September 2007, but the lanes are opening months early. In addition to the new lanes between Windward and McFarland, one new northbound lane between Holcomb Bridge and Haynes Bridge and two new northbound lanes between Haynes Bridge and Windward, as well as a new southbound through lane between Windward Parkway and Haynes Bridge, have already opened.  The project also includes the installation of sound barrier walls at several locations, which is expected to be completed later this year.