The I-285 Top End Express Lanes planned for Atlanta’s perimeter are part of the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT’s) Major Mobility Investment Program, or MMIP, a targeted transportation investment portfolio consisting of 11 initial major projects focused on improving mobility for the region and statewide. Public involvement will play a big role in the development of these projects; indeed, it plays a vital role in project development and occurs once enough of the concept has been developed to receive public input.
The I-285 Top End Express Lanes project follows a federally mandated environmental process which requires public involvement. It is in the conceptual phase of development, so no final decisions have been made. Because public involvement and feedback often helps shape the final outcome of a project, town hall and community meetings with the public are currently slated to occur in the first quarter of 2019 and a series of Public Information Open Houses are anticipated to occur later in 2019. For the convenience of the public, GDOT will have meetings in multiple locations within the project limits.
In addition to the public involvement process that is standard for all GDOT projects, GDOT has been proactively holding discussions with stakeholders in the community to collaborate about the I-285 Top End Express Lanes project. Since the spring of 2017, GDOT has participated in over 30 public meetings and presentations regarding the I-285 Top End Express Lanes, including our most recent presentation to the Dunwoody City Council on October 22. The feedback GDOT is receiving at these meetings is also helping to drive the project development process.
The I-285 Top End Express Lanes are part of a larger network of express lanes planned for in and around metro Atlanta that GDOT has been working on for nearly 20 years in partnership with the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), the regional planning body which includes both county and city representatives from throughout the region. Each of GDOT’s express lane projects have been approved by the ARC. The express lane projects are a key element of the ARC’s adopted, short-term Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the region’s longer-range vision through 2040, known as The Atlanta Region’s Plan. Existing express lanes on I-75, I-85 and I-575 are already proving to reduce travel times for commuters in those congested corridors.
GDOT is committed and focused on improving the region’s mobility through a transparent and open project development process. We have shown and will continue to stand by our public commitment to meet with any group, stakeholder, or HOA to discuss the I-285 Top End Express Lanes project as we move through the project development process.
Joe Carpenter is a division director for Georgia Department of Transportation.
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