Work on Ga. 400 toll lanes moving above ground

ATLANTA — Noticeable work is now underway at the Georgia 400 toll plaza and it will bring changes to your commute.

Drivers who take the road every day may not think much has happened since tolls were dropped in November, but the Georgia Department of Transportation said most of the work until now has been going on underground.

"Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it hasn't been happening. A lot of disabling of electronics, things have had to come down in those stairwells. There is a tunnel below there," GDOT spokeswoman Natalie Dale said.

That's about to change: GDOT said the toll canopies are next on the chopping block. Big, heavy equipment should be in place and work will start early next week. A Channel 2 crew saw workers with torches doing some prep work on the metal supports on Tuesday.

GDOT said despite the weather, work is on schedule to be complete by this fall.

Work on the canopy will begin on the northbound side, then move to southbound lanes. The work will be above the old cash lanes, not over lanes currently used by commuters.

Another lane shift will follow the canopy work.

WSBTV