Georgia DOT proposes new express toll lanes for SR 400

The Georgia Department of Transportation discussed plans to put a new set of express toll lanes on Georgia State Route 400 at a public forum in Roswell, Ga., on Tuesday. The HOT lanes, as GDOT calls them, could help relieve traffic issues on one of the most congested roads in the metropolitan Atlanta area.

Area residents displayed mixed reactions to the plan. Many expressed concerns the new lanes would have little to no effect on congestion while only increasing tolls. Others said they would welcome any attempt to alleviate traffic problems.

GDOT has given no timetable on installation of the HOT lanes. The department will host two more public hearings in the area in the next week and a half.

The proposed lanes would cover a 24-mile section of SR 400 from I-285 in Sandy Springs to Highway 20 in Forsyth County; HOT lanes are already in operation on I-85 in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties.