$1B project takes shape to overhaul ‘horrendous’ I-20/I-285 West interchange

GDOT works to fix I-20, I85 interchange

GDOT is undertaking the next phase of a billion-dollar project to reconfigure the west interchange of Interstate 20 and Interstate 285, known as one of the worst bottlenecks in the country.

ATLANTA - A long-anticipated solution to one of the nation’s worst traffic nightmares is finally taking physical form.

I-20 and I-285 interchange project

What we know:

Crews began placing massive concrete and steel beams this week, each weighing more than 127,000 pounds, atop rising columns at the Interstate 20 and Interstate 285 west interchange. What was once just a blueprint for a flyover is now a visible milestone for the $1 billion project.

"It is a big milestone today," said Kyle Collins, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Transportation. "We are ahead or on schedule at this point."

The interchange is currently ranked as the sixth-worst truck bottleneck in the United States. To fix it, engineers are abandoning the 1960s-era design. The project will replace dangerous left-hand entrance and exit ramps with traditional right-hand exits and half-mile-long ramps.

"The biggest pattern change is looking to exit on the right," Collins said. "You are going to have to make your decision much sooner with the new lanes. Anywhere there is a sharp loop curve, that is going to go away."

The redesign aims to make the transition easier for heavy trucks, which frequently struggle with current sharp turns near the Fulton Industrial Boulevard exit.

More construction closures

What's next:

The first set of beams is being installed during the day this week. More will be installed during overnight hours in March. Expect overnight closures on I-20 between Fulton Industrial Boulevard and H.E. Holmes Drive, as well as on I-285 northbound and southbound.

Crews install 125,000-pound concrete beams to construct new flyover ramps for a $1 billion interchange reconstruction at the Interstate 20 and I-285 West junction in Atlanta on Feb. 24, 2026. (GDOT)

‘There is so much traffic’

What they're saying:

Drivers in the area describe the current traffic as "horrendous." While the first group of flyovers is expected to be ready by the spring of 2027, the full project won't be finished until 2030.

"It’s needed way before 2030 because there is so much traffic," said driver Dazmyn Mayo. However, she added that with the current gridlock, "I can be patient; no other choice but to be patient."

Driver Akilah Hillman says, although she doesn't like the idea of construction traffic, she believes the project is needed.

"Very needed because if I leave out 20 minutes early to make it on time and the traffic pushes me back 20 minutes, so I'm late to work, that's causing a problem," Hillman said.

Crews install 125,000-pound concrete beams to construct new flyover ramps for a $1 billion interchange reconstruction at the Interstate 20 and I-285 West junction in Atlanta on Feb. 24, 2026. (GDOT)

Speeding up traffic

Dig deeper:

Once the project is complete, GDOT officials project a 20% to 30% increase in travel speeds during peak hours. The finished interchange will feature two-lane flyovers, auxiliary lanes, and completely new paving.