Hundreds of trees on Ga. 400 are gone. Here is why.
For months, hundreds of trees along Ga. 400 have been cut down ahead of expected construction to begin next year on the $4.6 billion express lane project on the north metro corridor.
The Georgia Department of Transportation said the tree clearing is taking place along the 16-mile highway, starting in the Chattahoochee River area — from Exit 6 to Exit 8 — because that’s where construction is expected to start next summer.
The tree clearing is currently on pause as crews remove and haul out remaining debris as part of cleaning operations, but will resume in spring.
GDOT said the clearing is needed to make sufficient space for the new express lanes, establish safe work zones, relocate utilities, and prepare for future drainage and grading needs.
Kathryn Kolb, an Atlanta-based conservationist, is concerned about the amount of trees GDOT is cutting, not only on Ga. 400 but also throughout the state.
“That’s effectively a very large permanent loss of trees for the state of Georgia,” Kolb said, adding the trees are not being replanted.
Kolb questions the benefit of clearing so many trees, as she expects it will probably affect climate change even further in Georgia.
“When we are in a state that is going to be very heavily affected by climate change, including hotter temperatures, we are reducing our ability to keep the climate a little bit cooler,” she said.
Kolb said trees along highways serve various purposes, including as a screen between homes and businesses and major roadways, and to help reduce noise pollution from vehicles along the highway.
The $4.6 billion project is currently the state’s most expensive. However, the cost of the deal is expected to be minimal to taxpayers after GDOT selected SR 400 Peach Partners to build and operate the 16 miles of express lanes. The private company will be able to collect tolls along the route for 50 years.
At one point, the project was slated for completion in 2024, but is now expected to be completed in 2031.
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