C.W. Matthews completed the $26.5 million I-75 at Akers Mill Road Express Lanes Ramp project in Cumberland, providing improved access to and from the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes. The ramp enhances traffic flow in the Cumberland CID area and offers a safer and direct entry point for commuters.
GDOT photo
Construction on the Interstate 75 at Akers Mill Road New Express Lanes Ramp project in Cumberland, Ga., got started in 2021.
C.W. Matthews Contracting Co. Inc. has delivered the Georgia Department of Transportation's (GDOT) $26.5 million Interstate 75 at Akers Mill Road New Express Lanes Ramp project in the city of Cumberland (Cobb County), an initiative that began in October 2021.
The project provides motorists with new access to and from Akers Mill Road at I-75 and the I-75/Interstate 575 Northwest Corridor Express Lanes.
Crews achieved open-to-traffic status on Jan. 24, 2025, for the Northwest Corridor's 12th and newest access point and, like the others, is improving mobility and trip-time reliability facilitating direct flow to and from the Cumberland Community Improvement District (Cumberland CID), a major commercial and residential activity center.
The ramp serves southbound express lane users as an exit in the mornings and northbound express lane users as an entrance in the evenings.
The project began approximately 400 ft. south of the existing Akers Mill Bridge over I-75 and ends approximately 275 ft. south of the existing Windy Ridge Parkway Bridge over I-75.
The new access ramp features gates at both the entry and exit points, which alert drivers when the direction of the express lanes is closed. It is 24-ft. wide for the reversible lanes, plus breakdown shoulders, and it widens to 50 ft. at Akers Mill.
"We have seen tremendous usage of the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes since their opening in 2018, with travel times 27 percent faster than the general-purpose lanes," said Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell McMurry. "One of our goals at the Georgia DOT is to ensure the projects we are completing improve safety and efficiency for Georgia motorists. By creating this new access point, commuters will have a more efficient way to access the Express Lanes system from the Cumberland area."
The express lanes are optional, dynamically priced managed lanes that offer drivers a choice to bypass congestion, have a predictable and reliable trip and improve mobility for express lane users and transit riders.
The State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) operates the tolled transportation facilities and manages the collection of tolls on Georgia's Express Lanes System using Peach Pass.
Federal, state and local funding made the $26.5 million construction project possible, including contributions from the Atlanta Regional Commission, Georgia DOT, the federal Department of Transportation, the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank operated by SRTA, and Cobb County, in partnership with Cumberland CID.
"We are excited to offer an additional option for Peach Pass customers to access the popular Northwest Corridor Express Lanes system at Akers Mill Road," said SRTA Executive Director Jannine Miller. "Considering the economic vitality of the Cumberland area, the State Road and Tollway Authority was proud to include this project in our investment portfolio. Cumberland CID has been leading in transportation innovation for decades and the completion of this impactful project is another example of how we can collectively bring value to Georgia's businesses."
Located along I-75 in the thriving northwest corridor of greater Atlanta, Cumberland serves as Atlanta's fifth-largest job center and a major culture and entertainment destination with a $26.6 billion annual economic impact on Georgia's economy. More than 3,700 businesses and 31,000 residents call Cumberland home, and the access ramp improves traffic flow to and from popular destinations.
As previously designed, drivers who wished to access the Express Lanes at the closest point in Cumberland were required to quickly maneuver four to five lane changes in I-75 traffic in a short distance. Drivers seeking a safer alternative were forced to drive to a different access point several miles to the north, south, east or west of Cumberland, further hampering traffic conditions along the surface streets.
"The Akers Mill Ramp Express Lanes opening is a landmark achievement for the Cumberland Community Improvement District," said Bob Voyles, chairman of the Cumberland CID board of directors. "This significant infrastructure investment by our commercial property owners and partners will give commuters a direct access point in and out of the heart of the Cumberland market, completing the successful I-75 NW Corridor Express Lane project. This partnership marks another feather in the cap for the Cumberland community, Cobb County and the Atlanta metro region."
To accommodate the rapid growth along the corridor, Georgia DOT undertook and delivered one of the biggest public infrastructure investments in the state's history: the $900 million Northwest Express Lanes system.
The 29.7-mile reversible toll lane project opened to traffic in September 2018 and has significantly benefited those who travel I-75 and I-575. In the first year, more than 4.2 million trips were registered posting travel speeds 30 percent faster than the general-purpose lanes.
The new ramp was designed by the Georgia DOT's Office of Program Delivery (OPD) and Parsons Brinckerhoff. C.W. Matthews was the lead construction contractor managed by Georgia DOT's District 7. Georgia DOT Traffic Operations was responsible for "Go-Live" coordination before SRTA tolling and operations, gate operations and the direction of the roadway. SRTA facilitates access ramp tolling.
The punch list completion to include mainline I-75 paving in the project area is scheduled for this summer.
The ramp, which peaks at 37 ft. high, was constructed in the interstate median. A 1,007-ft.-long bridge accommodates the reversible lanes plus breakdown shoulders that expand to 50 ft. at Akers Mill Road to provide two storage lanes at the signalized intersection with Akers Mill and a barrier-separated entrance to the northbound managed lanes.
Equipment operators used cranes, drill rigs, telehandlers, loaders and a variety of pickup trucks during the project. CEG
(All photos courtesy of the Georgia Department of Transportation.)
Irwin Rapoport
A journalist who started his career at a weekly community newspaper, Irwin Rapoport has written about construction and architecture for more than 15 years, as well as a variety of other subjects, such as recycling, environmental issues, business supply chains, property development, pulp and paper, agriculture, solar power and energy, and education. Getting the story right and illustrating the hard work and professionalism that goes into completing road, bridge, and building projects is important to him. A key element of his construction articles is to provide readers with an opportunity to see how general contractors and departments of transportation complete their projects and address challenges so that lessons learned can be shared with a wider audience.
Rapoport has a BA in History and a Minor in Political Science from Concordia University. His hobbies include hiking, birding, cycling, reading, going to concerts and plays, hanging out with friends and family, and architecture. He is keen to one day write an MA thesis on military and economic planning by the Great Powers prior to the start of the First World War.
Read more from Irwin Rapoport here.
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