HALL COUNTY, Ga. — As Hall County continues to rank among the fastest-growing areas in Northeast Georgia, state transportation officials are advancing a long-planned interchange project along the busy SR 365 corridor to address congestion and improve safety.
The project will replace the signalized intersection at SR 365 and YMCA Drive/Lanier Tech Drive with a grade-separated interchange designed to accommodate increasing commuter, freight and student traffic.
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District 1 Engineer Jason Dykes said growth driven by expanding industry, higher education and freight activity has intensified traffic pressure at the intersection, located near Lanier Technical College’s Gainesville campus.
A traffic signal was installed in 2012 in response to rising crash numbers, but volumes continued to climb. In 2018, Lanier Technical College opened a new campus serving about 5,000 students, further increasing traffic demand.
From signal to interchange
Georgia DOT programmed the interchange project to address congestion and safety concerns and to anticipate continued development along the corridor.
The initial concept, approved in 2020, encountered constructability challenges during preliminary design review. Engineers identified issues including a proposed 60-foot retaining wall along a curve, raising cost and feasibility concerns.
That discovery prompted a redesign.
In 2023, DOT approved a revised concept that shifts roadway alignment to tie directly into Lanier Tech Drive at the campus’ main entrance, improving access for students and staff.
Project details
The updated plan also adds a roundabout on YMCA Road to improve safety approaching the intersection.
Under the revised design, the bridge will move closer to the existing intersection, reducing earthwork and lowering overall project costs.
Once complete, the project will remove the first traffic signal north of where I-985 ends and close a nearby median opening south of the intersection.
Northbound and southbound acceleration lanes will be added to improve merging onto SR 365, where the speed limit is 65 mph.
The final construction contract is valued at less than $16 million.
DOT officials say the interchange is designed to function like a traditional interchange despite a configuration tailored to the area’s topography and traffic patterns. It also accommodates the proposed future widening of SR 365 from the end of I-985 to Belton Bridge Road, positioning the corridor for long-term mobility improvements.
Officials describe the project as an example of how design revisions and engineering review can improve safety while delivering cost savings for taxpayers.
