Georgia State Route 400 (SR 400; commonly known as Georgia 400) is a
freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
and
state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
in the U.S. state of
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
serving parts of
Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Alpharetta, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the ...
. It is
concurrent
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with
U.S. Route 19 (US 19) from exit 4 (
Interstate 285) until its northern terminus south-southeast of
Dahlonega
The city of Dahlonega () is the county seat of Lumpkin County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,242, and in 2018 the population was estimated to be 6,884.
Dahlonega is located at the north end of ...
, linking the city of
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
to its north-central
suburb
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
s and
exurb
An exurb (or alternately: exurban area) is an area outside the typically denser inner suburban area, at the edge of a metropolitan area, which has some economic and commuting connection to the metro area, low housing density, and growth. It s ...
s. SR 400 travels from the
Lindbergh neighborhood in the
Buckhead
Buckhead is the uptown commercial and residential district of the city of Atlanta, Georgia, comprising approximately the northernmost fifth of the city. Buckhead is the third largest business district within the Atlanta city limits, behind Downt ...
district of Atlanta, at
Interstate 85 (I-85), to just south-southeast of Dahlonega. Like the
Interstate highway
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...
s, it is a
limited-access road
A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...
(with
interchanges
Interchange may refer to:
Transport
* Interchange (road), a collection of ramps, exits, and entrances between two or more highways
* Interchange (freight rail), the transfer of freight cars between railroad companies
* Interchange station, a rai ...
instead of
intersections), but unlike the interstates (which were renumbered by
GDOT
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is the organization in charge of developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the U.S. state of Georgia. In addition to highways, the department also has a limited role in developin ...
in 2000), the exit numbers are not mileage-based, they are
sequential
In mathematics, a sequence is an enumerated collection of objects in which repetitions are allowed and order matters. Like a set, it contains members (also called ''elements'', or ''terms''). The number of elements (possibly infinite) is called t ...
. Once SR 400 passes exit 17 (
SR 306), it changes from a limited-access freeway into an
at-grade At-grade may refer to:
* At-grade intersection, a crossing between roads on the same level
* Road junction
*Level crossing, where a road or path crosses a railway on the same level
* Diamond crossing, where two railway tracks cross
* At-grade railwa ...
divided highway
A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...
with
traffic light
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traf ...
s, but still with a high
speed limit
Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expres ...
of , and ends at the J.B. Jones Intersection at
SR 60/
SR 115 in
Lumpkin County
Lumpkin County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,488. Its county seat is Dahlonega.
History
This area was settled by the Cherokee, who also occupied a ...
.
Between I-85 and I-285, SR 400 is designated "T. Harvey Mathis Parkway", after a local
land developer
Land development is the alteration of landscape in any number of ways such as:
* Changing landforms from a natural or semi-natural state for a purpose such as agriculture or housing
* Subdividing real estate into lots, typically for the purpose ...
and road proponent who died the day after being appointed as head of the
Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games
The Atlanta Committee for the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, or ACOG, also known as the Atlanta Committee, was an informal name for the Atlanta Committee for the Games of the XXVI Olympiad. The President of ACOG was Billy Payne.
References
1996 ...
in June 1991, when the tollway was under construction. Upon reaching the Perimeter (I-285) and beyond, the highway is designated "Turner McDonald Parkway".
Unlike most other Georgia state routes in the 400-499 series, SR 400 is the only such highway not to be designated as an unsigned route following a major expressway in the state.
Route description
![400S Buckhead Underpass](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/400S_Buckhead_Underpass.JPG)
SR 400 begins at I-85 just north of Downtown Atlanta. SR 400 travels concurrently with
MARTA
Marta may refer to:
People
* Marta (given name), a feminine given name
* Märta, a feminine given name
* Marta (surname)
:István Márta composer
* Marta (footballer) (born 1986), Brazilian professional footballer
Places
* Marta (river), an ...
's
Red Line between its
Buckhead
Buckhead is the uptown commercial and residential district of the city of Atlanta, Georgia, comprising approximately the northernmost fifth of the city. Buckhead is the third largest business district within the Atlanta city limits, behind Downt ...
and Medical Center stops; the Red Line's final stop is at the North Springs station. SR 400 southbound can access the station via Exit 5C, and traffic from the station can enter SR 400 northbound.
SR 400 goes through a tunnel under the
Atlanta Financial Center
The Atlanta Financial Center (AFC) is a 914,747-square-foot office building complex located in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia. The office complex is situated directly over the Georgia 400 highway and features a black aluminum/glass-frame design, comp ...
in Buckhead, south of SR 400's exit 2 (
SR 141 Connector/Lenox Road). Farther north, SR 400 meets I-285, also known as "The Perimeter" or "Atlanta Bypass".
At I-285, SR 400 meets with US 19. The two travel concurrently until an intersection with SR 60 and SR 115 in
Dahlonega
The city of Dahlonega () is the county seat of Lumpkin County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,242, and in 2018 the population was estimated to be 6,884.
Dahlonega is located at the north end of ...
.
North of I-285, SR 400 travels through
Sandy Springs
Sandy Springs is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia and an inner ring suburb of Atlanta. The city's population was 108,080 at the 2020 census, making it Georgia's seventh-largest city. It is the site of several corporate headquarters, i ...
,
Roswell, and
Alpharetta
Alpharetta is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States, and is a part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 US Census, Alpharetta's population was 65,818 The population in 2010 was 57,551.
History
In the 1830s, the Ch ...
in
Fulton County Fulton County is the name of eight counties in the United States of America. Most are named for Robert Fulton, inventor of the first practical steamboat:
*Fulton County, Arkansas, named after Governor William Savin Fulton
*Fulton County, Georgia
*F ...
. Major junctions include
SR 140 (exit 7A/7B on SR 400 northbound and exit 7 on SR 400 southbound) and
SR 120 (exit 10).
From US 19 and I-285 in Sandy Springs,
SR 9 travels parallel to SR 400 to the west until SR 9 reaches
Coal Mountain. In Coal Mountain, SR 9 veers northwest away from SR 400, but then later turns northeast toward its northern terminus at its intersection at US 19 in downtown Dahlonega.
SR 400's exit 6 at Northridge Road is known as the Mayor Eva Cohn Galambos Memorial Interchange.
From SR 400's exit 8, Mansell Road, to exit 11, Windward Parkway, North Point Parkway travels parallel to the east of SR 400. North Point Parkway provides access to
North Point Mall
North Point Mall is a shopping mall, located in Alpharetta, Georgia (a suburb of Atlanta). The mall opened on October 20, 1993 as one of the largest shopping malls in the country. The mall was the second final property built by Homart Development C ...
.
SR 400 enters
Forsyth County at the overpass of McGinnis Ferry Road. In the county, SR 400 travels through
Cumming and Coal Mountain. Major interchanges include
SR 141 (exit 13),
SR 20 (exit 14A/14B on SR 400 northbound; exit 14 on SR 400 southbound),
SR 306 (exit 17), and
SR 369. SR 400's limited-access portion ends at SR 369, and SR 400 continues on.
Travelers can access Bald Ridge Marina and boat ramps for
Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier (officially Lake Sidney Lanier) is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the waters of the Chestatee Ri ...
via exits 15 (Bald Ridge Marina Road) and 16 (Pilgrim Mill Road).
North of SR 400's intersection with Jot Em Down Road, SR 400 continues into
Dawson County, where it travels through
Dawsonville. Major intersections include
SR 53 and
SR 136.
At the intersection of SR 400 and SR 53, a
continuous-flow intersection
A continuous flow intersection (CFI), also called a crossover displaced left-turn (XDL or DLT), is an alternative design for an at-grade road junction. Vehicles attempting to turn across the opposing direction of traffic (left in right-hand dr ...
was completed in May 2017. Near this intersection is the entrance to North Georgia Premium Outlets.
SR 400 continues into
Lumpkin County
Lumpkin County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,488. Its county seat is Dahlonega.
History
This area was settled by the Cherokee, who also occupied a ...
just south of its intersection with Whelchel Road and Wilson Drive. After traveling in the county, SR 400 and US 19 meet SR 115 from the north and SR 60 from the east. SR 400 ends at this point, and US 19 turns left and continues north through downtown Dahlonega into the
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
and the
Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest
The Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest in northern Georgia comprises two United States National Forests, the Oconee National Forest in eastern Georgia and the Chattahoochee National Forest located in the North Georgia Mountains. The Chattaho ...
.
All of SR 400 south of the Dawson–Lumpkin county line is included as part of the
National Highway System, a system of roadways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.
Exits on the controlled-access part of SR 400 are numbered according to the consecutive numbering system instead of reference post (i.e. mile-based) numbering. This is unlike the Interstate highways in Georgia, which have used reference post numbering since 2000, with the exception of I-24, which continues the exit numbering from Tennessee as the interstate highway crosses through Georgia back into Tennessee. This means that exit numbers on SR 400 start at 1 and use consecutive numbers (2, 3, 4, etc.) regardless of the nearest mile marker.
At the southern terminus, new ramps connecting SR 400 south to I-85 north and I-85 south to SR 400 north opened on April 2, 2014. The project was two years in the making and was paid for with funds from the SR 400 toll plaza. Prior, drivers had to exit off SR 400 onto Sidney Marcus Boulevard to get to I-85 north. On I-85 south, drivers had to take the Cheshire Bride Road/Lenox Road exit to get to Sidney Marcus Boulevard for access onto SR 400 north. The ramp from I-85 south is shared with the
SR 13 ramp (exit 86). From SR 400, Sidney Marcus Boulevard is now exit 1B and the ramp to I-85 north is 1A.
In Forsyth County in 2017–2018, SR 400 was expanded from two lanes to three from McFarland Parkway to SR 369 (which is planned to be exit 18).
History
Original portion (I-285 to SR 306)
![Atl july 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Atl_july_001.JPG)
Planning for the freeway, later known as the North Fulton Expressway, began in 1954.
The initial section north of I-285 was officially dedicated on May 24, 1971
and subsequent additions to the north opened in stages through 1981. The road was subsequently widened in the late 1980s from its original four-lane configuration to eight lanes between I-285 and
Holcomb Bridge Road, and to six lanes between Holcomb Bridge Road and Haynes Bridge Road. The widening projects were brought on by the massive
growth
Growth may refer to:
Biology
* Auxology, the study of all aspects of human physical growth
* Bacterial growth
* Cell growth
* Growth hormone, a peptide hormone that stimulates growth
* Human development (biology)
* Plant growth
* Secondary growth ...
that the freeway brought to northern Fulton and southern Forsyth counties. In 2005 the
GDOT
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is the organization in charge of developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the U.S. state of Georgia. In addition to highways, the department also has a limited role in developin ...
began widening the section from Holcomb Bridge Road to Windward Parkway from six to eight lanes from Holcomb Bridge Road to McFarland Parkway. In addition, metal
noise barrier
A noise barrier (also called a soundwall, noise wall, sound berm, sound barrier, or acoustical barrier) is an exterior structure designed to protect inhabitants of sensitive land use areas from noise pollution. Noise barriers are the most effecti ...
walls and a
concrete divider in the median were also added. In 2010, a
half-diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road.
Design
The freeway itself is grade separation, grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. ...
(exit 4C) was added on the north side of Hammond Drive, allowing southbound exits and northbound entrances.
Freeway revolt
At one time, SR 400 was to connect to
I-675 Interstate 675 may refer to:
*Interstate 675 (Georgia), a connection south of Atlanta, Georgia
*Interstate 675 (Michigan), a loop through Saginaw, Michigan
*Interstate 675 (Ohio)
Interstate 675 (I-675) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in t ...
in southeast
DeKalb DeKalb or De Kalb may refer to:
People
* Baron Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), major general in the American Revolutionary War
Places Municipalities in the United States
* DeKalb, Illinois, the largest city in the United States named DeKalb
** DeK ...
county. However, residents in
intown Atlanta
Intown Atlanta (or as an adjective, "intown") is a loosely-defined term used by the residents of Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States. It is most frequently used in metro Atlanta to designate an area containing parts of the City of Atlanta and ...
neighborhoods did not want the highway to cut through and partially destroy their neighborhoods (as had occurred in
Sweet Auburn
Sweetness is a basic taste most commonly perceived when eating foods rich in sugars. Sweet tastes are generally regarded as pleasurable. In addition to sugars like sucrose, many other chemical compounds are sweet, including aldehydes, ketones, ...
and other neighborhoods), and a
freeway revolt
Highway revolts (also freeway revolts, expressway revolts, or road protests) are organized protests against the planning or construction of highways, freeways, expressways, and other civil engineering projects that favor vehicles.
Many freeway re ...
ensued, ending when then-Governor
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
signed a new
city charter
A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document (''charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages.
Traditionally the granting of a charter ...
and the
USDOT
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the President of the United States and ...
rejected the
highway studies in 1973, and
George Busbee
George Dekle Busbee Sr. (August 7, 1927 – July 16, 2004), was an American politician who served as the 77th Governor of the State of Georgia from 1975 to 1983, and a senior partner at King & Spalding thereafter.
Early life
Born in Vienna, Geor ...
had the plan officially terminated when he became governor in 1975. The point where this road would have had its interchange with the also-doomed
I-485 (now
Freedom Parkway
Freedom Park is one of the largest city parks in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The park forms a cross shape with the axes crossing at the Carter Center. The park stretches west-east from Parkway Drive, just west of Boulevard, to the intersecti ...
and
SR 10 to
Stone Mountain Freeway
Stone Mountain Freeway is a freeway in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It connects Interstate 285 (I-285) east of Atlanta, with the suburbs of Stone Mountain and Snellville before transitioning into an arterial road that con ...
) is now the site of the
Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
Jimmy may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy
* ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melattoor Ravi Varma
* ''Jimmy'' (2013 f ...
. A later routing of I-485 would have had that number running from the Downtown Connector east to the current library, then north on what is now SR 400.
A revival of the connection to I-675 was proposed in 2009. A
tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube cons ...
would go under
East Atlanta
East Atlanta is a neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, United States The name East Atlanta Village primarily refers to the neighborhood's commercial district.
Geography
East Atlanta lies entirely within DeKalb County and is bounde ...
and other
neighborhoods in Atlanta
:
The city of Atlanta, Georgia is made up of 243 neighborhoods officially defined by the city. These neighborhoods are a mix of traditional neighborhoods, subdivisions, or groups of subdivisions. The neighborhoods are grouped by the city planni ...
on the DeKalb-county side, south to
I-20
Interstate 20 (I‑20) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I-20 runs beginning at an interchange with I-10 in Scroggins Draw, Texas, and ending at an interchange with I-95 in Florence, South Carolina. Between ...
. A surface road through less-developed land would then go south to I-675. The project would be a
public/private initiative.
I-85 to I-285 extension
The northern portion of the inside-the-Perimeter route remained alive following the freeway revolts, and after
lawsuit
-
A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil actio ...
s by residents that spent several years in court, GDOT was able to force the extension through Buckhead. Dozens of homes were taken through
eminent domain
Eminent domain (United States, Philippines), land acquisition (India, Malaysia, Singapore), compulsory purchase/acquisition (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom), resumption (Hong Kong, Uganda), resumption/compulsory acquisition (Austr ...
or the threat of it, and the highway was built through the middle of formerly-secluded and forested neighborhoods. Some remaining residents live on
dead end
Dead End or dead end may refer to:
* Dead end (street), a street connected only at one end with other streets, called by many other official names, including ''cul-de-sac''.
Film and television
* ''The Dead End'' (1914 film), directed by David ...
streets with metal barrier walls.
During planning stages of the highway in 1984, the
Robinson-Humphrey Bank Company proposed a massive expansion of its office building in Buckhead, now known as the
Atlanta Financial Center
The Atlanta Financial Center (AFC) is a 914,747-square-foot office building complex located in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia. The office complex is situated directly over the Georgia 400 highway and features a black aluminum/glass-frame design, comp ...
, which was to be built directly in the proposed routing of the highway. A compromise was worked out for
Fulton County Fulton County is the name of eight counties in the United States of America. Most are named for Robert Fulton, inventor of the first practical steamboat:
*Fulton County, Arkansas, named after Governor William Savin Fulton
*Fulton County, Georgia
*F ...
to pay $3 million to Robinson-Humphrey to offset extra construction costs. This allowed the new tower to be constructed with special concrete supports allowing for the highway and eventual MARTA
Red Line to run underneath; the deal also covered Robinson-Humphrey's $1 million donation of the right-of-way to the
Georgia DOT
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is the organization in charge of developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. In addition to highways, the department also has a lim ...
. Construction of the massive tunnel underneath the office complex and its parking garage was underway in 1990; the tunnel was sealed off with concrete to protect the building from noise and vibration.
The road opened to traffic on August 1, 1993, after three years of construction. Existing exits were renumbered up by four to accommodate the extension, which had a single
toll plaza
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or ''toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented ...
in the middle of its length when opened. Contrary to public belief, the
bond
Bond or bonds may refer to:
Common meanings
* Bond (finance), a type of debt security
* Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States
* Chemical bond, the attraction of atoms, ions or molecules to form chemical ...
s that funded the construction of the
tollway
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or ''toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented ...
south of I-285 were not paid off until 2011.
![GA 400 northern terminus in Lumpkin County, April 2017](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/GA_400_northern_terminus_in_Lumpkin_County%2C_April_2017.jpg)
In addition, the North Line (now Red Line) for Atlanta's
MARTA
Marta may refer to:
People
* Marta (given name), a feminine given name
* Märta, a feminine given name
* Marta (surname)
:István Márta composer
* Marta (footballer) (born 1986), Brazilian professional footballer
Places
* Marta (river), an ...
train system was constructed in the
median
In statistics and probability theory, the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as "the middle" value. The basic fe ...
from the Glenridge Connector to south of Lenox Road, and was opened on June 8, 1996, extending the line from
Lenox Square
Lenox Square is a shopping mall in the Buckhead district of Atlanta, Georgia. With 198 tenants and of gross leasable area, it is the third-largest mall in Georgia. The mall is currently owned and managed by Simon Property Group, and is consider ...
mall north to
Perimeter Mall
Perimeter Mall is a shopping mall in Perimeter Center, Dunwoody, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, near the interchange of Interstate 285 (the Perimeter) and Georgia State Route 400. It is the second largest shopping mall in the state of Georgia, ...
, and connecting the
Perimeter Center
Perimeter Center is a major edge city in Atlanta metropolitan area, metro Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is centered on Perimeter Mall, the nucleus around which it has formed. Perimeter Center is located north of Atlanta proper, and lies with ...
area to the rail system. That
edge city
''Edge city'' is a term that originated in the United States for a concentration of business, shopping, and entertainment outside a traditional downtown or central business district, in what had previously been a suburban residential or rur ...
largely developed due to its proximity to the 400/285 interchange.
![US19nGA400nRoadSigns (32561639480)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/US19nGA400nRoadSigns_%2832561639480%29.jpg)
Direct access from SR 400 southbound to I-85 northbound (and the reverse direction) opened in April 2014, ending the need to take the indirect route via Sidney Marcus Boulevard. In June 2015, a ceremony was held to name the
flyover bridges for Captain Herb Emory, a beloved local
traffic report
Traffic reporting is the near real-time distribution of information about road conditions such as traffic congestion, detours, and traffic collisions. The reports help drivers anticipate and avoid traffic problems. Traffic reports, especially in c ...
er for
WSB AM and
WSB-TV
WSB-TV (channel 2) is a television station in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is the flagship television property of locally based Cox Media Group, which has owned the station since its inception, and is sister to rad ...
(as well as other
co-owned stations) who had also died in April 2014.
Tolls
![Atl july 005](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Atl_july_005.JPG)
When SR 400 was a toll road, the toll plaza, operated by the State Road and Tollway Authority (SR TA), collected 50¢ tolls in both the northbound and southbound directions. The toll plaza was located north of Lenox Road (exit 2). Each direction had two open-road toll lanes, which collected tolls at highway speeds using the Georgia Peach Pass
electronic tag
Electronic tagging is a form of surveillance that uses an electronic device affixed to a person.
In some jurisdictions, an electronic tag fitted above the ankle is used for people as part of their bail or probation conditions. It is also used i ...
(formerly "Cruise Card"), and seven gated toll lanes that accepted cash. The toll facility handled a total of approximately 120,000 vehicles per day. About 37% of transactions were paid via
Peach Pass
Peach Pass is an electronic toll collection system in use in the U.S. state of Georgia, which is currently used primarily for high-occupancy toll lanes and express toll lanes on Interstate 75 (I-75), I-85, and I-575 in metropolitan Atlanta. Pe ...
, the same technology also used by
SunPass
SunPass is an electronic toll collection system within the state of Florida, United States. It was created in 1999 by the Florida Department of Transportation's (FDOT's) Office of Toll Operations, operating now as a division of Florida's Turnpik ...
in Florida,
Quick Pass in North Carolina,
TxTag
TxTag , operated by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), is one of three interoperable electronic toll collection systems in Texas. The system is also interoperable with the K-TAG system used in Kansas and the Pikepass system used in O ...
in Texas, and
PikePass
Oklahoma has an extensive turnpike system, maintained by the state government through the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. All of Oklahoma's turnpikes are controlled-access highways. The majority have at least four lanes, though the Chickasaw Turnpik ...
in
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. Peach Pass can be used interchangeably with the Florida and North Carolina systems and passes, but not with TxTag and PikePass, due to a lack of reciprocal billing arrangements with those non-adjacent states.
SR 400 was the only active
toll road
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or ''toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented ...
in Georgia, after the
Torras Causeway toll between
Brunswick and
St. Simons Island
St. Simons Island (or simply St. Simons) is a barrier island and census-designated place (CDP) located on St. Simons Island in Glynn County, Georgia, United States. The names of the community and the island are interchangeable, known simply as ...
on the southeastern Georgia coast was removed in 2003,
until the
high occupancy toll express lanes opened on I-85 in 2011. The SR 400 toll was to expire in 2011 after 20 years. In March 2009, local TV news reports brought up an issue regarding tolls on the road, since SRTA reported that enough money has been collected to pay the
bond
Bond or bonds may refer to:
Common meanings
* Bond (finance), a type of debt security
* Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States
* Chemical bond, the attraction of atoms, ions or molecules to form chemical ...
s used to construct the road (though
prepayment prior to 2011 was prohibited). Despite promises that the toll would be removed once the road was paid for, the tolls continued to be collected. The road costs $2 million per year just to maintain (plus occasional
repaving
A road surface (British English), or pavement (American English), is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway. In the past, gravel road surfaces, hoggin, cobble ...
), and it cost several million more for the
demolition
Demolition (also known as razing, cartage, and wrecking) is the science and engineering in safely and efficiently tearing down of buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a ...
of the toll plaza. (One option would have been to simply close the toll plaza, allowing drivers to pass through without paying.) On September 24, 2010, then Governor
Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III (born December 20, 1946) is an American veterinarian, businessman, politician, and university administrator who served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. He previously served as t ...
and members of the
State Road and Tollway Authority The State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) is a government agency of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is responsible for financing transportation initiatives and operating the state's toll roads.
A proposal to merge SRTA and GRTA, and most of GDOT ...
(SRTA) voted to keep the tolls on until 2020 in order to fund 11 new projects on the highway.
In July 2012, two weeks before voters of Georgia voted on the Transportation Referendum act, Governor Deal said that the toll on SR 400 would be abandoned in November 2013, meaning that, at the beginning of 2014, SR 400 would be a toll-free road. Tolling was discontinued on November 22, 2013 at 11:08 am; the last toll was collected by Governor
Nathan Deal
John Nathan Deal (born August 25, 1942) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 82nd governor of Georgia from 2011 to 2019. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a member of the Democratic Party in 1992 a ...
and was paid by the same couple that paid the first toll in 1993. The toll plaza was removed in a four-phase demolition project.
In 2012, a feasibility study was initiated by the Georgia Department of Transportation to explore the possibility of adding tolled express lanes. The proposed express lanes would be long, and mirror the existing lanes on
I-85
Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65, I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with Interstate 95, I ...
. The lanes' southern terminus will be I-285 in
Sandy Springs
Sandy Springs is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia and an inner ring suburb of Atlanta. The city's population was 108,080 at the 2020 census, making it Georgia's seventh-largest city. It is the site of several corporate headquarters, i ...
, and their northern terminus would be
SR 20 in
Cumming. Fees would be similar to the existing I-85 lanes, and will be paid using Peach Pass, making the express lanes compatible with the existing express lanes on I-85 (as well as the former toll plaza in Buckhead if it had remained in operation).
Future
SR 369 Interchange
Funding for a project to create new interchange on SR 400 at SR 369/Browns Bridge Rd comes from the Forsyth County Transportation Bond, approved by voters in 2014, along with GDOT funding. Currently, SR 400 meets SR 369 at a signalized intersection, where the freeway part of SR 400 currently ends. Preliminary plans show that a partial cloverleaf interchange will be built, with ramps from both directions of SR 400 meeting SR 369 at traffic lights; the northbound SR 400 ramp will also meet at the entrance of Browns Bridge Church. Also as a part of this project, SR 369 will be widened from its intersection with SR 9, through the interchange at SR 400, to its intersection at SR 306. Workers have cleared the area and removed underground storage tanks, per county officials. Forsyth County has acquired four properties as part of right-of-way acquisition and is expected to go out for bid in the fall of 2019; a bid is expected to be awarded in early 2020. Construction began in late 2020 and the interchange is planned to open in 2023.
McGinnis Ferry Road Interchange
A traffic study in 2007 explored the possibility of a new interchange on SR 400 at McGinnis Ferry Road; this Interchange Feasibility Report was approved by GDOT in 2010 and Forsyth County in 2012.
The exit is to be located between Exit 11 (Windward
Parkway) and Exit 12 (McFarland Parkway). Construction started in October 2021, and is expected to be completed in 2023. Construction will be completed by Forsyth County and GDOT. As a part of the project, one lane each way will be added on SR 400 between the Windward Pkwy exit and the McFarland Pkwy exit, and SR 400 S will have an additional lane added between McFarland Pkwy and McGinnis Ferry Rd. Also, as part of the construction:
* The McGinnis Ferry Rd bridge over SR 400 will be replaced.
* McGinnis Ferry Rd will be widened to four lanes from Bethany Bend to the SR 400 intersection, and to six lanes from the SR 400 interchange to the intersection of McGinnis Ferry Rd, Union Hill Rd, and Ronald Reagan Blvd. Ronald Reagan Blvd will also be widened to six lanes from McGinnis Ferry Rd to Counselors Way.
* Sidewalks will be added on the southbound side of McGinnis Ferry Rd, and a multi-use path will be added on the northbound side of McGinnis Ferry Rd.
* Additional right and left turn lanes will be added on McGinnis Ferry Rd at major intersections.
This project complements construction to extend Ronald Reagan Blvd from McFarland Pkwy to Majors Rd.
I-285 Interchange
GDOT, working with North Perimeter Contractors, began construction in February 2017 at the SR 400/I-285 interchange to add collector-distributor lanes and flyover ramps to ease congestion at the interchange.
[https://perimeterconnects.com/wp-content/uploads/I285-SR400Improvements-FAQs.pdf ] The interchange currently sees 420,000 drivers each day, despite that the current interchange was designed to accommodate 100,000 drivers daily.
The project is expected to cost $800 million and is estimated to save drivers on SR 400 and I-285 a combined 20,000 hours of driving time each day.
The project will also include:
* The conversion of the SR 400 and Abernathy Rd (exit 5) to a diverging diamond interchange.
* The reconstruction of the Mount Vernon Hwy bridge over SR 400, the Peachtree Dunwoody Rd bridge over I-285, and the Glenridge Dr bridge over I-285.
* The construction of multi-use paths along the southeastern portion of SR 400 and I-285, and path improvements along Mount Vernon Hwy and Abernathy Rd. These improvements will also connect t
Path 400
The project will cost $800 million and is expected to be completed near the end of 2021.
SR 400 Express Lanes
![US19nGA400nRoadSigns-MM4 (42118271701)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/US19nGA400nRoadSigns-MM4_%2842118271701%29.jpg)
GDOT is currently conducting environmental studies to study the impact of new express toll lanes each way on SR 400, starting at the North Springs
MARTA
Marta may refer to:
People
* Marta (given name), a feminine given name
* Märta, a feminine given name
* Marta (surname)
:István Márta composer
* Marta (footballer) (born 1986), Brazilian professional footballer
Places
* Marta (river), an ...
station and traveling 16 miles along SR 400 to the McFarland Pkwy exit (exit 12).
The express lanes, for which drivers will need a Peach Pass to travel on, will be two buffer-separated lanes each way from the North Springs MARTA station to McGinnis Ferry Rd and one buffer-separated lane each way from McGinnis Ferry Rd to McFarland Pkwy.
The express lanes will use '
dynamic pricing
Dynamic pricing, also referred to as surge pricing, demand pricing, or time-based pricing, is a pricing strategy in which businesses set flexible prices for products or services based on current market demands. Businesses are able to change prices ...
,' so drivers will pay higher prices during rush hour; but, transit buses and registered vanpools will not have to pay additional fees to use these lanes.
In addition, a bus rapid transit system, Georgia's first, will run along the express lanes; the system will possibly include bus access to stops at or near the North Spring MARTA station, Holcomb Bridge Rd,
North Point Mall
North Point Mall is a shopping mall, located in Alpharetta, Georgia (a suburb of Atlanta). The mall opened on October 20, 1993 as one of the largest shopping malls in the country. The mall was the second final property built by Homart Development C ...
, Old Milton Pkwy, and an existing MARTA park and ride at Windward Pkwy.
The local SR 400 lanes and the express lanes are expected to have direct merges around Northridge Rd (exit 6), Haynes Bridge Rd (exit 9) and at its terminus at McFarland Pkwy; expected direct access ramps will be located at the North Springs MARTA station, Holcomb Bridge Rd (exit 7), Webb Bridge Road, and Union Hill Rd.
![SR400ExpressLanes-ProjectMap-March2019](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/SR400ExpressLanes-ProjectMap-March2019.jpg)
GDOT will start construction between 2021 and 2022 and complete construction between 2024 and 2027, at a cost of $1.8 billion.
As a part of the project, GDOT has said that they might be acquiring around 50 homes near the North Springs MARTA station, as well as small pieces of land along SR 400 north of Sandy Springs.
Expansion of SR 400 Express Lanes to I-285
GDOT is also working on environmental studies for express lanes along the top end of I-285, from Paces Ferry Rd to Henderson Rd, with construction slated to start in 2023 and finish in 2029. Once this project is complete, GDOT will add express lanes along SR 400 from the North Springs MARTA station south to meet with the I-285 express lanes once they are completed.
Filming on GA 400
Several scenes from the movie ''
Smokey and the Bandit
''Smokey and the Bandit'' is a 1977 American road action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry. The directorial debut of stuntman Hal Needham, the film follows ...
'' were filmed on SR 400, which was used due to the low traffic volumes at the time of filming during its construction. The "
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
"
police chase
A car chase or vehicle pursuit is the vehicular overland chase of one party by another, involving at least one automobile or other wheeled motor vehicle in pursuit, commonly hot pursuit of suspects by law enforcement. The rise of the automotive i ...
, where a Georgia State Patrol car chases Bandit, who is driving a
Trans-Am
The Trans-Am Series is a sports car racing series held in North America. Founded in 1966, it is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).
Primarily based in the United States, the series competes on a variety of track types includin ...
, takes place on SR 400 at the interchange with SR 141/Peachtree Pkwy, Exit 13. In addition, other film scenes were shot along SR 400 between McFarland Pkwy in Alpharetta (Exit 12) and SR 20/Buford Hwy in Cumming (Exit 14). Filming also took place in other parts of metro Atlanta, including
McDonough
McDonough is an Irish surname.
Origins and variants
The surname is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac Donnchadha", which means son of Donnchadh or son of Donough. The name itself consists of elements meaning "brown (donn)" or Donn “t ...
and
Jonesboro.
Exit list
See also
*
*
*
Transportation in Atlanta
Atlanta's transportation system is a complex infrastructure of several systems, including 47.6 miles of heavy rail, 91 bus transit routes, 1,600 licensed taxis, a comprehensive network of freeways, the world's busiest airport and over 45 miles of ...
Notes
References
External links
* {{Commons category-inline, Georgia State Route 400
Georgia State Route 400 on State-Ends.comState Road and Tollway Authority homepagePeach Pass
400
__NOTOC__
Year 400 ( CD) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Stilicho and Aurelianus (or, less frequently, year 11 ...
Former toll roads in Georgia (U.S. state)
Transportation in Fulton County, Georgia
Transportation in Forsyth County, Georgia
Transportation in Dawson County, Georgia
Transportation in Lumpkin County, Georgia
Freeways in the United States
Roads in Atlanta
Sandy Springs, Georgia
Roswell, Georgia