BUFORD — Officials broke ground Wednesday on an extension to the express lanes on I-85 in North Gwinnett, a project that will bring express lanes to an additional 10 miles of the interstate.
The new lanes, which will take approximately two years to build, will start at Old Peachtree Road and run all the way to Hamilton Mill Road, said Jill Goldberg, Georgia Department of Transportation communications manager.
Officials say commuters average 25,000 trips per day in the express lanes in Metro Atlanta, a number that has risen roughly 7-percent per year.
"When this project is completed, that will bring 26 miles (of express lanes) to commuters in this area," said Goldberg.
Along with this project, crews will be resurfacing every lane of the interstate along the corridor.
"We're also adding some auxiliary lanes that will increase the capacity out there as well, and then we're preparing for the future widening of 85," said Goldberg.
Construction on the widening project is tentatively set to begin in 2018, with officials looking to widen the two-lane portion of the interstate north of the I-985 merge.
"We're going to be adding an extra lane to make sure it's three lanes," said Goldberg.
Officials say this is part of a $178 million investment in the region.
