Southbound Exit 5 on Georgia 400 in Sandy Springs was scheduled to close Sunday, Aug. 30, replaced by two temporary ramps that could last two years. The change reshapes the daily commute for Johns Creek residents who use GA 400 to reach I-285 and points south.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) replaced the single exit with Exit 5-B, serving the North Springs MARTA station, and Exit 5-A, leading to Abernathy Road and Hammond Drive, GDOT spokesperson Joe Schulman told WSB-TV. The temporary ramps could remain for up to two years.

Exit 5-B sits about 0.6 miles south of the old exit. Exit 5-A is about 1.1 miles south, according to Rough Draft Atlanta.

The closure gives construction crews more room to work on the SR 400 Express Lanes project. The $11 billion public-private partnership will add two express lanes in each direction from North Springs north into Forsyth County. SR 400 Peach Partners is the private-sector partner. The full project is projected for completion in 2031.

"When we do this, the crews with the equipment need more space. And so by closing that area, it gives them more space to bring in their equipment, and it also helps keep everybody safe as well," Schulman said.

Access to North Springs MARTA, Abernathy Road and Hammond Drive will remain available throughout construction, according to GDOT's August newsletter. Drivers should slow down, follow posted signs and allow extra travel time as they adjust to the new layout.

GPS may lag behind. GDOT warned that navigation apps may not immediately reflect the new traffic pattern and advised motorists to follow posted signs rather than GPS directions.

Mario Swinney, a regular GA 400 driver, acknowledged the trade-off in an interview with WSB-TV. He said the closure has downsides but expressed hope that the finished express lanes will speed up traffic in about five years.

The express lanes will operate in both directions around the clock, unlike the reversible express lanes on I-75. The project also includes transit stations and bus access to the express lanes without tolls.

Overnight lane closures between Roberts Drive and North Springs MARTA were already running nightly from about 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. in early August as part of the same construction effort, the North Atlanta Star reported. GDOT said more traffic shifts are expected over the next five years.

Residents who want to weigh in on long-range transportation planning can take the North Fulton Comprehensive Transportation Plan survey online through Friday, Sept. 18, according to a North Atlanta Star brief.