CLARKSTON, GA — The Georgia Department of Transportation is inviting the public to weigh in on its plans to add express lanes along the northeast segment of I-285 during a final open house Thursday.

The event runs from 4 to 7 p.m. at Clarkston First Baptist Church on Church Street, where residents can view detailed plans and share feedback on the proposed project.

GDOT spokesperson Kyle Collins says the lanes would be similar to those already in place along I-75 in Cobb County, but with some key differences.

“The biggest difference is the expansion of having the option to get in these lanes,” Collins said. “You’ve got two in each direction, so you’re not dealing with any type of reversible system; you’ve got two dedicated lanes, 24 hours a day, going both directions.”

Collins says the new express lanes would be built to the outside of existing travel lanes, combining both raised and at-grade sections. He adds that public input is still an important part of the process. “There are neighborhood concerns, community concerns, environmental concerns, noise concerns, that’s part of what we collect with these comments and what we’ll respond to,” he said.

The I-285 Express Lanes Project is one of GDOT’s largest undertakings and aims to reduce congestion and improve travel times along the busy perimeter corridor.

WSB Radio’s Lisa Nicholas contributed to this story