Q&A on the News

Q:

I’ve wondered what and when, if anything, the Georgia Department of Transportation plans to do about the mess of an interchange at Interstate 20 east/I-285 south on the east side of Atlanta? Another mess is I-285 at I-85 south, near the airport.

VICKI DAVIS, PEACHTREE CITY

A:

GDOT has plans to improve the I-285/I-20 east interchange as part of its Major Mobility Investment Program (MMIP). The improve- ments, which are scheduled to begin in 2022, will reconstruct the ramps and build new collector-dis- tributor lanes at the interchange.

Other projects that are a part of the plan include lane widening at the I-285/I-20 west interchange, expected to start construction in 2023. There also are plans to add an express lane in each direction on I-285 between I-20 and I-85 on both the east side (expected to start construction in 2022), and one in each direction on I-285 from I-20 to I-75 on the west side (expected to start construction in 2023).

“The initial 11 transportation proj- ects that make up the MMIP will create additional capacity; improve the movement of freight; provide operational improvements and efficiencies; enhance safety and decrease travel times statewide,” a GDOT spokeswoman told Q&A on the News in an email.

A complete list of MMIP proj- ects can be found at dot.ga.gov/ IS/MMIP.