Welcome to the Roadscapes Wednesday segment! Each week here on Geek Alabama, Roadscapes Wednesday will feature roads and infrastructure related topics. Geek Alabama Editor / Publisher Nathan Young is often called the “road geek” for a good reason, Nathan loves roads and loves talking about roads!
At nearly $290 million per mile, Georgia’s SR 400 expansion is among the priciest highway projects in U.S. history. The $4.6 billion plan will overhaul 16 miles of roadway through a 50-year public-private partnership—adding tolled express lanes, integrating Bus Rapid Transit, and targeting long-term congestion relief. Privately built and operated by SR 400 Peach Partners, the project avoids traditional widening by threading new lanes through medians and shoulders, minimizing property takings but raising construction complexity.
With dynamic toll pricing and electronic management via Peach Pass, revenue risks fall entirely on the private partner. Proponents argue the deal accelerates delivery and shifts financial burdens off taxpayers. Critics cite excessive cost, long-term toll dependence, and questions around whether this privatized highway model is truly sustainable. Either way, SR 400’s rebuild offers a window into the future of infrastructure financing—and the tough trade-offs that come with it.
Categories: Roadscapes Stuff
