Southbound SR 400 drivers will lose Exit 5 on Saturday, Aug. 29. Two temporary replacement ramps open the same day as phase-one construction begins near Sandy Springs.
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced that temporary Exit 5A will serve the North Springs MARTA Station, located about 0.6 miles south of the current Exit 5. Temporary Exit 5B will provide access to Abernathy Road and Hammond Drive, about 1.1 miles farther south.
The change directly affects Dunwoody and Brookhaven commuters who use the corridor to reach MARTA or Perimeter-area destinations.
Both ramps sit on the southbound side. The existing Exit 5 ramp closes Saturday to make way for the multi-billion-dollar SR 400 Express Lanes project. GDOT said access to all three destinations will remain open throughout construction.
What drivers should expect
GDOT urged motorists to slow down, follow posted signage and allow extra travel time while adjusting to the new traffic pattern. The agency also reminded drivers to watch for school buses as the academic year resumes.
Construction is occurring day and night along the 16-mile project corridor, which stretches from the North Springs MARTA Station in Fulton County to McFarland Parkway in Forsyth County. Most scheduled lane closures have taken place between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Other active work along the corridor includes temporary striping, concrete barrier installation, clearing and drainage.
Project context
The SR 400 Express Lanes project broke ground April 22 and is the largest transportation public-private partnership in the United States, according to Rough Draft Atlanta. SR 400 Peach Partners, a consortium of ACS Infra, Acciona and Meridiam, is building the 16-mile expansion under a 55-year concession.
The project targets a Feb. 14, 2031, opening. In Segment A near Sandy Springs, crews are performing earthwork near Spalding Drive and Northridge Road and preparing for additional traffic shifts.
How to prepare
Drivers heading to North Springs MARTA, Abernathy Road or Hammond Drive from southbound SR 400 should watch for new signage directing them to Exit 5A or Exit 5B beginning Saturday.
