Have you ever driven on I-285 through the Ga. 400 interchange — yes, where all the construction is — and thought, “This has to be the worst part of the Perimeter.”
You would not be wrong.
According to Georgia Department of Transportation data, that interchange is the most crash-prone area of I-285.
Each time a crash occurs, it’s usually followed by snarled traffic, which becomes even more of a headache when it happens during the morning or afternoon commutes. It’s in that area that Victor Dimas-Paniagua, 38, died in a multi-vehicle pileup that blocked the interstate for hours earlier this month.
Last year, at least 1,611 crashes were recorded along both sides of the interstate leading up to the interchange, especially at Ashford Dunwoody Road. Other busy areas on I-285, such as the exits and interchanges to Peachtree Boulevard, Buford Highway and I-85, had nearly the same amount of crashes combined in 2023.
While 1,611 is a high number, it pales in comparison to the 400,000 vehicles that pass through there daily. And when looking at crash severity, only five people were killed there last year. Other areas of the Perimeter, such as its western wall, are deadlier, GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale confirmed.
“The top end of I-285 experiences a higher daily traffic volume compared to (other) segments,” she said. “The higher volume of traffic, coupled with risky driving behavior, results in a higher rate of crashes.”
While that stretch of highway has seen major overhauls to the Ga. 400 interchange since 2017, Dale said only 1% of crashes are caused by construction activities.
“In the past five years, almost 80% of crashes are the result of driver behavior,” she said. That includes speeding, following too closely and improper lane changes.
GDOT did not respond to questions about whether construction-related lane closures could contribute to drivers improperly changing lanes.
The original interchange was designed to accommodate 100,000 daily vehicles, which made it a massive traffic bottleneck. Construction temporarily caused more backups when the Perimeter saw lane reductions starting in 2022 as crews replaced several bridges, and there have been intermittent lane closures throughout the project.
But Dale noted that the number of crashes has actually decreased since construction started.
“A primary goal of the 285/400 project was to update the interchange to increase safety and mobility,” she said. “The design of the new interchange focuses on a dedicated system for various trip patterns in order to cut down on merging, weaving and congestion that can contribute to crashes.”
The project will be completed this fall, Dale said. But construction will continue as GDOT has plans for other major projects, including new toll lanes on Ga. 400.
“Drivers bear a great responsibility when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle. It is vital that they recognize the risk associated with poor driving behavior and respect the rules of the road,” she said, adding that “drivers need to recognize the fact that they are entering into a road construction area. They should slow down and remain focused on the task of driving.”
