Georgia 400 Express Lanes Construction Begins, Stretching Into Forsyth County by 2031

Crews broke ground this week on what state officials are calling the largest transportation infrastructure project in Georgia's history: a multi-billion-dollar overhaul of Georgia 400 that will extend new express lanes from Sandy Springs north to the edge of Forsyth County, with completion targeted for 2031.

The project adds two toll-priced express lanes in each direction along a 16-mile stretch of GA-400, running from south of Spalding Drive and the North Springs MARTA station in Fulton County to just north of McFarland Parkway in Forsyth County. Nine express lane connections are planned across the corridor, with toll rates varying by traffic levels to allow drivers to bypass congestion. A MARTA Bus Rapid Transit line will also run the corridor toll-free, linking directly to MARTA rail.

Cost figures reported by various outlets range from $4.16 billion to $4.6 billion. The winning private partner, an LLC called SR 400 Peach Partners, which includes construction firms Dragados, ACS Infrastructure, and Parsons, committed a concession payment of $4.05 billion to the state. Under the arrangement, SR 400 Peach Partners will finance construction, operations, and maintenance without taxpayer dollars, and will collect nearly all toll revenue for 50 years, after which the project reverts to state ownership.

SR 400 Peach Partners beat out a competing international joint venture, Georgia Express Link Partners, composed of New York-based Tikehau Star Infra, Amsterdam-based Arcadis, and Madrid-based Ferrovial Construction and its subsidiary Cintra.

Georgia DOT framed the project's purpose plainly: "This is really about capacity, safety and reliability." Project officials project the new lanes will cut delays by more than 19,000 hours a day, roughly 15 minutes saved per driver, and reduce crashes along the corridor by 8%.

In Forsyth County, the northern terminus at McFarland Parkway is particularly significant. Design plans call for streamlined express lane access to The Gathering at South Forsyth, a large mixed-use development that includes single-family homes, townhomes, retail, restaurants, and a proposed indoor arena that has been linked to a potential NHL franchise relocation. Further south in Alpharetta, the corridor serves Avalon and a dense cluster of job centers that have made GA-400 one of metro Atlanta's most congested commuting routes.

John Robison, Alpharetta's assistant city administrator, welcomed the project's start. "We're excited about this opportunity," Robison said. "We're appreciative of GDOT taking this on. Long term, I do think it's going to help a lot for those who live here, work here and the many who come to visit."

Not everyone is optimistic. Driver Jason Underwood said flatly, "I think it's going to increase the traffic a lot." Tiffany McClure questioned the equity of managed toll lanes: "I think there's some issues there. I think if they're going to add an extra lane, it should be for everybody, especially if that'll help with the congestion that we have because there is a lot of congestion here." Tracy Crawford, who drives GA-400 regularly, summed up the immediate construction reality: "You're going to have very upset people."

Transportation officials say most construction will happen overnight to protect the morning and evening rush. Tree clearing along the 16-mile route has been underway for months, and lane, shoulder, and ramp closures began this week as heavy construction moved into its first phase. The project is expected to take up to five years.

When the lanes open, they will integrate into the broader Georgia Express Lanes Network and connect directly with the proposed I-285 Top End East project, tying the GA-400 corridor into a regional managed-lanes system that planners hope will reshape how North Fulton and Forsyth County commuters move through one of the state's fastest-growing regions.