Throughout 2022, the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) continued its commitment to improving statewide mobility and building a connected transportation network by continuing to advance projects in its Major Mobility Investment Program (MMIP). Of the 15 projects currently programmed under the MMIP, Georgia DOT advanced five projects to construction or have started to prepare for construction, two started the construction developer procurement process, and the remaining continued with design and public involvement activities in 2022.

“With the growth of Georgia’s industries and population, we’re excited to have so many MMIP projects underway to meet motorists’ needs now and in the future,” said Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry, P.E. “Since 2016, profound progress has been made towards the overall delivery of the program. From concept design and environmental clearance, to leveraging new project delivery and contracting methods, our teams are working hard to bring these monumental projects to motorists, transit providers and freight operators. By the end of 2023, we will have almost $1.3 billion of MMIP projects either constructed or under construction, further improving how Georgians, visitors and freight move through the state.”

I-16/I-95 interchange reconstruction into a partial turbine configuration to provide smoother, more direct connections.
Identified in 2016, the ambitious program is the first of its kind in the country and was created to improve quality of life and build a better Georgia by creating additional capacity, improving freight movement, providing operational improvements and efficiencies, enhancing safety and offering more reliable trip times. The statewide program focuses on improving mobility with a vision to boost Georgia’s competitiveness ensuring that Georgia remains the No. 1 state for business. It’s been more than six years since the MMIP was first announced and since then significant progress has been made to advance these much-needed transportation projects in some of the state’s most congested regions.

COMPLETE

The I-85 Widening, Phase 1 project was the first MMIP project that started construction (2018) and opened to traffic in June 2020, 41 days ahead of schedule.
ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION

Five MMIP projects are currently in active construction including:
The second phase of widening I-85 north of metro Atlanta
Improvements to the I-16/I-95 Interchange
Widening a portion of I-16 near Savannah
Bridge replacements on the east side of I-285
Interchange improvements at I-285 and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
CONSTRUCTION STARTING IN 2023

Construction of three other MMIP projects will begin in 2023:
I-285 Westbound Auxiliary Lane Extension
SR 400 Design-Build Phase 1 which includes three overpass bridge replacements
The reconstruction of the vital I-285/I-20 East Interchange
PRECONSTRUCTION PHASE

The SR 400 Express Lanes is currently in active procurement for a construction developer and the project is expected to start construction in 2024.
DESIGN PHASE

Four other MMIP projects continue to advance through design and project development including:
The proposed I-285 Eastside, Westside and Top End Express Lanes
I-75 Commercial Vehicle Lanes

I-285 bridge construction

I-85 widening, Phase 2C
With Georgia being home to the largest single container terminal in North America through the Port of Savannah, home to 31 Fortune 500/1000 company headquarters, the busiest airport in the world and freight demand expected to double by 2040, Georgia DOT serves with a mission to deliver a transportation system focused on innovation, safety, sustainability and mobility.

“The efficient movement of people and goods is crucial to Georgia’s economy and to the quality of life of residents,” said Georgia DOT’s Planning Director Jannine Miller. “Georgia is in a prime position to be responsive to future transportation infrastructure needs through the MMIP and pathways for alternative delivery and contracting methods.”

Artistic rendering and animation of the proposed SR 400 Express Lanes.
In addition to building and expanding Georgia’s transportation infrastructure, Georgia DOT recognizes the significance of improved transit mobility and access throughout the metro Atlanta region. Through collaboration with key partners including the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL), MARTA and the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), as well as Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties, plans to advance Express Lanes Transit (ELT) are underway. ELT projects allow public transit providers that operate in these project corridors –including Xpress, MARTA and state-registered vanpools – to use the express lanes free of charge and include the SR 400 and I-285 Express Lanes, which incorporate transit as a mobility option. Transit and registered vanpool riders will only pay their standard transit rider fee.

The historic collaboration between Georgia DOT and key partners to advance multimodal solutions along the northern half of I-285 allows Georgia DOT to support transit initiatives by incorporating services such as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) into project plans and allowing MARTA to fund and operate any future systems. The SR 400 and I-285 Express Lanes will include BRT and are expected to greatly reduce congestion in the region for motorists, while also increasing on-time transit performance and accessibility.

Much has changed in Georgia since the MMIP was first announced, but it remains Georgia DOT’s goal to deliver the nation’s most innovative transportation solutions that improve quality of life and keep Georgians moving.