Georgia
Georgia 400 tolls: Express lanes proposed for busy state highway
Are tolls returning to GA-400?
A new proposal would see new tolls being put up along Georgia Highway 400, but it’s not how you think it would be.
ATLANTA – Tolls could make a comeback to Georgia 400. The Georgia Department of Transportation took a step closer to making toll lanes a reality on one of the busiest highways in metro Atlanta. The agency is looking at proposals to build the express lanes. GDOT says this will help ease congestion.
The agency is considering proposals from potential contractors to build the toll lanes. Under the proposal, which is still in the early stages, GDOT would build two new express lanes in each direction on a 16-mile stretch. These lanes would extend from the North Springs MARTA station at Exit 5C in Fulton County to McGinnis Ferry Road in Forsyth County, and one lane in each direction from McGinnis Ferry Road to McFarland Parkway at Exit 12.
“The path forward for managing congestion within metro-Atlanta is the express-lane system,” said GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale.
Drivers could still travel on GA-400 for free, but would have to pay to ride in the express lanes. “They would similarly to how the other express lanes work,” Dale said. “The more people who choose to use it, the more the price would increase for the use in that corridor.”
GDOT says a private-sector partner would construct, finance, operate and maintain the express lanes. GDOT has not placed a final price tag on the project. But it would cost “in the billions,” Dale said.
Tom Smith, an economist and finance professor at Emory University Goizueta Business School, says tolls pay for things like highway maintenance and construction. “It can drive up direct revenue, revenue that can be used directly for the roads, for road reconstruction,” Smith said. “Toll roads definitely do generate revenue.”
Paying extra could frustrate some motorists. “People don’t like paying tolls. As a consumer who drives those roads, I would be annoyed. But I understand the need to have generating elements and a tax is an easy way to do that,” Smith said.
Drivers who spoke with FOX 5 are split over the possibility of tolls making a comeback along GA-400. It grinds Kimberly Mitchell’s gears. “I’m kind of against it,” Mitchell said. “It’s just one more expense that we have to pay, and people can’t afford it.”
Anika Corpuz says tolls ride fine with her if they remain optional. “I’m okay with it,” Corpuz said. “It doesn’t really bother me. If you can choose to take it or not take it, it’s not going to bother me.”
GDOT tried to build toll lanes three years ago. That got delayed when the proposal came in at $1.7 billion. The agency says it would like to pick a contractor by the fall and start construction by the end of 2025.
Top 10 overlooked cruise packing items before you sail
Packing for a cruise made easy with 10 overlooked essentials and smart boarding day tips to help you stay organized and stress-free.
It can be hard to find a truly unique experience for your next vacation. That’s where Travel + Leisure comes in.
Back in May, members of the publication’s team created a list in celebration of America’s 250th Fourth of July, highlighting a unique experience in each state “from hidden gems to iconic highlights and editor-approved favorites.”
Find vacation discounts with Groupon
Most unique experience in Georgia
The Georgia spot highlighted was the World of Quercus. Here’s what writer Lydia Mansel said about it:
“The 3,800-acre property, dotted with pecan groves and cabins, isn’t your run-of-the-mill retreat. Guests are encouraged to roam the land by golf cart or on foot, visit the biodynamic vegetable garden, fish the Flint River, and connect with the ranch’s horses. Owned by Chiara Visconti di Modrone and her husband Angelos Pervanas, Quercus is a place where relaxation comes in many forms—and you can design your experience to fit your pace and preferences.”
Where is Quercus?
Quercus is in Gay at 208 Caldwell St. It’s about 30 miles east of LaGrange and over 50 miles south of Atlanta.
How much is Quercus per night?
The Sylva, Ember, and Cypress cabins are $2,700 per night. The Naya cabin is $4,500 per night.
Unique experiences in the South
- Alabama: Freedom Monument Sculpture Park
- Florida: Greater Florida Everglades
- Georgia: Quercus
- Kentucky: Kentucky African American Heritage Trail
- Louisiana: New Orleans Museum of Art
- Missouri: Anheuser-Busch Brewery
- Mississippi: Vikin’s Mississippi Delta Explorer
- North Carolina: Good Hot Fish
- South Carolina: Casual Crabbing with Tia
- Tennessee: Blackberry Farm
- Virginia: Chincoteague Island
- West Virginia: New River Gorge National Park
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
APPLING COUNTY, Ga. (WCYB) — The co-owner of Yurezz Home Center in Greeneville has been arrested in Georgia, according to a report obtained by News 5.
Earlier this week, News 5 told you about the dealership in Greeneville that abruptly shut down last month.
This has left homeowners with partially built homes and employees without jobs.
It is not yet clear why Richard Altman was taken into custody.
This is a developing story.
Georgia
Georgia Supreme Court upholds convictions of men in deadly shooting during gas station carjacking
Two men found guilty of murdering a man while he was pumping air into his tires at a Georgia gas station will remain in prison, the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled.
Miles Chatezal Collins and Josiah Hughley, Jr. had appealed to the state’s highest court after they were found guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, violating Georgia’s Street Gang, Terrorism and Prevention Act, and hijacking a motor vehicle, among other charges in 2025.
The men’s charges stem from a shooting on July 10, 2022, at a QuickTrip gas station in Peachtree Corners. According to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, 30-year-old Bradley Lamar Coleman had stopped at the gas station to fill up his tires when Collins, Hughley, and a third man pulled up beside him and tried to steal his Dodge Charger.
When Coleman tried to stop the men, officials say they shot him and fled the scene.
Authorities say the three men were members of the Blood gang and had tried to steal the car to increase their status.
While their first trial ended in a mistrial due to a comment by the prosecution, a jury found Collins, Hughley, and their co-defendant, David Jarrad Booker, guilty of more than a dozen charges in 2025. They were each sentenced to life plus 145 years in prison.
In Collins and Hughley’s appeal to the state Supreme Court, they argued that there was insufficient evidence to support some of the charges and that the judge in the case improperly admitted certain evidence and committed errors in instructing the jurors.
The justices’ rulings disagreed, finding that their attorneys failed to object to the supposed errors and that the two men’s claims were insufficient.
The judges also found that a claim by Hughley that his counsel failed him by not asserting that a statement made to law enforcement should have been suppressed. With those findings, the Supreme Court chose not to overrule the case, letting the convictions and sentences stand.
“We are grateful for this affirmation from the Georgia Supreme Court,” Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “Thanks to the incredible work of our team of trial and appellate prosecutors, and all of the staff that assisted with defending these convictions, two dangerous criminals will remain in prison.”
Booker’s appeal remains pending.
-
Washington3 minutes agoWashington Commanders are retiring Hall of Famer John Riggins’ No. 44
-
Wisconsin6 minutes agoWisconsin State Patrol rides with truck and bus drivers to spot violations in five areas
-
West Virginia11 minutes agoWest Virginia town fires entire police force after chief resigns, sergeant alleges evidence room break-in
-
Wyoming18 minutes agoWHP: July 5 single-vehicle rollover north of Riverton resulted in one death, one injury
-
Crypto21 minutes agoBritish Airline Jet2 Shares Jump 9% After $536M Fuel Hedge Gain Offsets Middle East Travel Fears
-
Finance26 minutes agoTreasury Pick Queried on Iran War Fallout to Face Senate Finance
-
Fitness33 minutes agoQuote of the day by Cher: ‘Nothing lifts me out of a bad mood better than a hard workout on my…’ – motivating life lessons by Oscar-winning actress of Moonstruck and singer of Believe on exercise, mental health, fitness and how this daily habit can transform your mood and mindset
-
Movie Reviews41 minutes ago‘Night Nurse’ Review: A Caretaker Explores Her Kink for Elder Abuse in the Year’s Strangest Erotic Thriller
