State breaks ground on new I-285 interchange at Ga. 400 today

In the future, a rebuilt I-285 interchange at Ga. 400 could cut travel time for hundreds of thousands of commuters.

But first will come three years of construction on one of the busiest stretches of highway in Atlanta. That construction officially gets under way today, when Gov. Nathan Deal and a slew of state and federal officials break ground on the new interchange in Sandy Springs.

The $800 million project may involve evening and weekday lane closures and occasional weekday closures. When it’s done, the interchange will be almost as big as Spaghetti Junction – where I-285 meets I-85 northeast of Atlanta – with four flyover bridges.