I-285 Strategic Implementation Plan
Background
The Georgia Department of Transportation has developed a Strategic Implementation Plan for I-285. I-285 is metropolitan Atlanta’s heavily traveled perimeter highway. I-285 has been widened twice since its completion in 1969. Initially, it was widened to eight lanes in 1989. The highway was subsequently widened to ten lanes along its northern quadrant in 1996, as a result of intense development along the corridor.
The Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) Mobility 2030 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) identified several new capital improvements for I-285. They included the addition of High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes and the reconstruction of several existing interchanges.
These large scale improvements would require extensive engineering, intense public outreach, and significant right-of-way and construction costs. Future impact of these improvements on the operation of I-285, however, was unknown. The Department, therefore, undertook this strategic planning project to fulfill its mission to maintain the safe and efficient operation of this corridor.
As part of this analysis, simulation tools were developed. The analysis team used these tools to interface the urban transportation model with detailed characteristics of the operation of I-285 and its connecting freeways and arterial roadways. The result of this effort was a Strategic Implementation Plan for I-285. The plan refined the recommendations from ARC’s RTP and identified a variety of projects to ensure I-285’s safe and efficient operation in the future.
Project Work Scope and Schedule
The I-285 Strategic Implementation Plan began in late October 2004. Tasks that were completed include the review of other large scale simulation projects and the development of a transportation model to holistically simulate traffic conditions on I-285. Additional study efforts focused on developing several improvement scenarios and using the transportation model to test these scenarios.
The final product was a Strategic Implementation Plan designed to meet the goals and objectives necessary to ensure the safe and efficient operation of I-285.
What Happened?
The Department and the consultant team completed the development and calibration of the micro-simulation model designed specifically for this study. Several initial concepts were developed and evaluated using the new transportation model.
A wide range of improvements were considered for I-285 as part of this study. Major problem areas were identified, and potential improvements were examined. For examples of the types of improvements that were investigated, please click here. Several concepts were tested to provide improvement to the overall transportation system including high-occupancy vehicle (HOV), truck-only lanes, and bus rapid transit (BRT). The process of evaluating the concepts involved applying various design options to each simulation looking for viable improvement alternatives.
The study’s Stakeholder Advisory Group met several times throughout the study process to provide input and policy guidance to facilitate the analysis effort. Public Information Meetings were conducted during October 2006 to share study data and to solicit input regarding needs along the I-285 Corridor. Results from this study served as valuable input into the Department's Revive I-285 study which was focused on the further development of improvement alternatives for the northern section of I-285 between I-75 and I-85. The Stakeholder Advisory Group met in December 2008 to review potential improvement recommendations. The presentation to the Stakeholder Advisory Group can be downloaded here.
Review of Data
Please click here to review some of the data that was assembled for this study.
Presentation:
Previous Public Information Meetings
A number of public information meetings were scheduled in October 2006. The public meetings were held on the following dates at the following locations:
Thursday, October 5, 2006
Cobb Galleria Centre
Two Galleria Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30339
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Chamblee Civic Center
3540 Broad Street
Chamblee, GA 30341
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Ramada Inn Atlanta Airport
1551 Phoenix Boulevard
College Park, GA 30349
To view the information presented at these public meetings, please click here.
Contact Information
Jason Crane
Georgia Department of Transportation
Office of Planning
One Georgia Center
600 West Peachtree Street N.W.
Floor: 5, Location: 557
Atlanta, GA 30308
Telephone: 404-631-1774
E-mail: jcrane@dot.ga.gov