Johns Creek commuters will have a paid fast-lane option on Georgia 400 by 2031, but years of construction on the corridor are already underway.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is building 16 miles of congestion-priced express toll lanes along Georgia 400. The project stretches from the North Springs MARTA station in Sandy Springs to just north of McFarland Parkway in Forsyth County. The estimated cost is approximately $11 billion, according to GDOT's project FAQ.

The existing free lanes will not change. The express lanes are optional, running alongside the general-purpose lanes and offering what GDOT estimates will be up to 30% faster travel during peak hours. Johns Creek, which has the second-longest average commute among North Atlanta cities, sits squarely in the project corridor.

What Johns Creek drivers should know

Between North Springs and McGinnis Ferry Road, the project adds two tolled express lanes in each direction. North of McGinnis Ferry to McFarland Parkway, one express lane runs in each direction. Unlike the reversible express lanes on I-75, the Georgia 400 lanes will operate in both directions around the clock.

Javier Gutiérrez Villanueva, CEO of SR 400 Peach Partners, the private developer on the project, discussed the lane design on a Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce podcast in July.

Tolls will be dynamically priced through the Peach Pass system. Rates adjust based on traffic volume, and drivers see the price before entering. A Peach Pass or interoperable toll transponder is required. Carpool exemptions on other Georgia highways do not automatically apply, according to the North Atlanta Star.

Transit buses and registered vanpools can use the lanes toll-free.

Construction disruptions are here

GDOT's timeline called for full construction to begin in spring 2026. Site preparation and clearing started in fall 2025. Overnight lane closures between North Springs and McFarland Parkway have been ongoing, with work running nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Fox 5 Atlanta reported in July 2025.

More significant changes are coming. In late August, GDOT was set to close the existing southbound Exit 5 near North Springs and replace it with two temporary ramps, the North Atlanta Star reported. Exit 5B would serve the North Springs MARTA station, and Exit 5A would carry drivers toward Abernathy Road and Hammond Drive. The temporary arrangement was expected to last about two years.

GDOT said sound walls, dust control and traffic management plans will be used to minimize disruption. Access to businesses and neighborhoods along the corridor will be maintained.

MARTA bus service planned for corridor

The project includes infrastructure for MARTA Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) connecting North Springs Station to the Windward Parkway Park and Ride in Alpharetta. BRT stations are planned at Holcomb Bridge Road, North Point Mall and Windward Park and Ride, according to GDOT. MARTA's project page also lists a proposed station at Old Milton Parkway, though that location is currently outside the express lanes project scope.

The BRT would run in the express lanes. It does not extend MARTA rail to Alpharetta.

How it's being paid for

The project is a public-private partnership between GDOT and SR 400 Peach Partners, LLC. The developer paid a $3.8 billion concession payment to GDOT after financial close in August 2025. Peach Partners is responsible for design, construction, operations and maintenance for 50 years after opening. GDOT said in its FAQ that the project will not require additional public funding beyond the agency's $120 million contribution, which represents about 1% of the total cost.

Johns Creek is also managing the separate McGinnis Ferry Road widening, expanding the road from two to four lanes between Sargent Road and Douglas Road. That project, done in partnership with Alpharetta, Forsyth County and GDOT, is expected to be completed in 2028.

Residents can reach the SR 400 Express Lanes project team at 400expresslanes.com, by email at [email protected], or by calling 770-209-2520.