Q: In regard to the new Interstate reversible lanes, when will they be used, or how will they be used in the off hours, when it’s not morning or afternoon rush hour?
—John Urbaitis, Ball Ground
A: The South Metro Express Lanes on I-75 generally will operate on a daily schedule during the week.
The lanes, which are scheduled to open this month, are expected to be open to northbound drivers from midnight to 11 a.m. weekdays, a Georgia DOT spokeswoman told Q&A on the News in an email.
The lanes will close about 11 a.m. and reopen at 1 p.m. to southbound drivers.
They will remain open southbound until 10 p.m., when they will close again and then reopen in the other direction.
On weekends, the lanes “are currently predicted to remain in the northbound direction.”
“We will make adjustments to the general plan as needed for special events,” she wrote.
Gates will block the lanes when they are closed.
“During that approximate two-hour reversal period, all gates in the system will be in the down/closed position in both travel directions,” she wrote.
Once open, drivers will need a Peach Pass (peachpass.com) to travel in the South Metro Express Lanes.
Construction on the express lanes along the I-75/I-575 Northwest Corridor is expected to be complete by summer 2018.
Operating times have not been set for those lanes, the spokeswoman wrote.
Andy Johnston with Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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