COBB COUNTY, Ga. — More and more drivers are taking advantage of new Express Lanes that run through Cobb and Cherokee counties. But we wanted to know if it's worth the cost.
Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach received new numbers from the state and learned 25,000 to 30,000 drivers use the lanes on an average day in Georgia.
Even those not paying the toll are also seeing the benefits.
Since day one, drivers from Cobb and Cherokee counties praised the new northwest Express Lanes. They’re willing to pay the adjustable toll on the reversible lanes to save time on their commute.
“I use it, I love it, it helps me get to work earlier,” said one driver.
And even more use the Express Lanes for the evening rush hour.
Numbers from the first few months show the busiest times each day are in the afternoons.
“That’s time when people want to go home to get to their families, maybe kids, have soccer practice… That’s the time we’re seeing the highest number of people using the Express Lanes,” said State Road and Tollway Authority’s Deidre Johnson.
The SRTA said the average in time saved using the full 16 miles in the morning from Cherokee into the perimeter is 20 minutes. But that savings comes with a price, this morning around the peak of rush-hour at 8:15 a.m., the full toll was just under $6.
The timed saved is even better for the evening rush hour. When the lanes flip and go northbound, SRTA says drivers save an estimated 34 minutes.
Last month, with freezing temperatures and the threat of ice, SRTA delayed opening the tollway a few hours.
So drivers need to have a back-up plan in place in case of bad weather as we get into the heart of winter.
“That’s something they have look at, so make sure you plan before you travel,” Johnson said.
But most days, the lanes run smoothly, running southbound in the morning, then flipping midday to flow northbound in the afternoon.
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Even drivers not willing to pay are seeing the benefits with better traffic on Interstate 75 and 575.
“And you can see also in the general purpose lanes, we’re seeing increase also traveling through those not having as much problem with traffic,” Johnson said.
Gehlach spoke with one driver who said his commute is 15 minutes faster, and that’s in the free lanes.
SRTA gave us the numbers and Gehlbach found out what day had the most trips since opening -- it was on Oct. 30.
As traffic picks back up for Back 2 School, more and more drivers will see an impact from the Express Lanes.