Commuters heading to Perimeter-area offices, North Springs MARTA, and the shops along Hammond Drive will soon lose their usual exit off southbound SR 400, a highway that carries more than 250,000 vehicles per day.

The Georgia Department of Transportation said in its July 2026 newsletter, published Wednesday, July 23, that southbound Exit 5 will close "later this summer" as the SR 400 Express Lanes widening project ramps up. Exit 5 serves Abernathy Road, Hammond Drive, and the North Springs MARTA station, three key access points for the Dunwoody and Brookhaven business corridor. GDOT has not announced a specific closure date but told commuters to expect more details in the coming weeks.

Two temporary exits will replace the current one

When Exit 5 closes, two new temporary exits will open at the same time. Exit 5B, about half a mile south of the current ramp, will be a transit-only exit serving North Springs MARTA station, according to GDOT. A second temporary exit about a mile south of the current ramp will route drivers to Abernathy Road and Hammond Drive.

The rerouting pushes southbound traffic further south before looping back to reach the Perimeter business district. For workers, shoppers, and MARTA riders who use Exit 5 daily, the detour adds distance and potential congestion on local streets.

Tree clearing resumes in early August

GDOT also announced that tree clearing will resume on six sections of SR 400 in early August. The agency and its contractor, SR 400 Peach Partners, a consortium of ACS Infra, Acciona, and Meridiam, divided the 16-mile corridor into three segments. Most construction so far has taken place between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., but GDOT is warning motorists to expect increased daytime activity heading into August and the new school year.

Through early August, drivers may notice shoulder reductions and restriping as crews prepare for upcoming traffic shifts throughout the project corridor.

What the project adds

The SR 400 Express Lanes project broke ground in April 2026 with a total investment of approximately $10.8 billion, including $4.6 billion in construction costs. GDOT expects the new express lanes to open in 2031. The project will add two tolled express lanes in each direction from North Springs MARTA to McGinnis Ferry Road, with one express lane in each direction continuing north to McFarland Parkway. GDOT projects express-lane users will save up to 17 minutes per trip during peak hours.

The corridor is projected to gain 144,000 residents and 114,000 jobs by 2050, according to GDOT.

Residents can sign up for project updates at sr400peachpartners.com or through GDOT's newsletter at 400expresslanes.com. GDOT has not announced a public comment meeting specific to the Exit 5 closure for Dunwoody or Brookhaven residents.