The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority announced a new initiative to identify and develop comprehensive long-range transportation projects across the northern I-285 corridor between I-75 and I-85.

I-285 was originally designed as a bypass for downtown Atlanta. As the metro area has grown, transportation demands have shifted making I-285 as much a point-to-point road as a bypass.

This shift in usage and overall increase in demand is especially prevalent within the northern corridor.

“This is going to be a very large and complex undertaking,” said David Studstill, GDOT’s chief engineer. “This new approach, focused on overall corridor improvement through environmental strategies, will have to address near-term and mid-term needs while looking 30 years into the future and anticipating transportation demands for the mid-21st century.”

Selected to serve as prime consultant for the project, the ARCADIS, G&M Inc. project team will develop and deliver critical research, environmental analysis and documentation that will allow the department to move to final design and construction of projects along the corridor.

“In finalizing these concepts for specific interchanges and projects, we will evaluate the entire corridor’s requirements within the framework of this study and will consider innovative construction and financing techniques to expedite the construction of these projects,” Studstill added.

The comprehensive I-285 corridor initiative will incorporate a significant public involvement plan that will include a project Web site, public meetings, public opinion research and substantial public outreach. The effort is aimed at actively gathering data and input from the users of this vital corridor.