As construction advances on the SR 400 Express Lanes Project, the Georgia Department of Transportation deployed a new SR 400-dedicated Incident Response Unit or IRU this month, which will operate along the 16-mile corridor during construction and after the new lanes are fully open.
[Above photo by Georgia DOT]
Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the SR 400 IRU will assist motorists, remove roadway debris, support emergency responders, and help manage traffic during incidents. By providing focused coverage within the project limits, the unit is expected to reduce response times and enhance safety for both drivers and first responders.
The SR 400 IRU will provide corridor-focused incident response coverage designed to complement Georgia DOT’s successful statewide Highway Emergency Response Operators or “HERO” program. The agency stressed, however, that this dedicated IRU is an operational enhancement specific to the SR 400 corridor and is not intended to replace or supersede the HERO program.
Additionally, SR 400 IRU operations will be supported by a dedicated SR 400 Traffic Management Center that will monitor corridor conditions around the clock, enabling faster incident detection and coordinated response throughout construction.
“Through this innovative partnership, we’re adding specialized resources to support our HERO operators to keep traffic moving along this corridor,” said Alan Davis, director of Georgia DOT’s Permit and Operations Division, in a statement.
“The SR 400 Incident Response Unit reflects our shared commitment to proactive operations, faster incident response, and reliable travel on one of Georgia’s busiest corridors,” he explained. “Working alongside HERO, this unit will help ensure incidents are resolved quickly, enhancing public safety and improving traffic flow throughout construction and into the future.”
Georgia DOT added that the SR 400 Express Lanes Project will add new, optional, tolled express lanes in both directions along an approximately 16-mile section of SR 400 from the North Springs MARTA Station (Exit 5C) in Fulton County to approximately one mile north of McFarland Parkway (Exit 12) in Forsyth County.
Like other express lanes in metro Atlanta, those lanes will use variable-priced tolls, giving drivers the option to bypass congestion and enjoy faster, more reliable travel. Heavy construction activities will begin in April with the opening of the new lanes anticipated in 2031, the agency said.
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