I-285 completed 1969, part of GA 400 opens in 1971
The plan to build I-285, or the Perimeter, began in 1958 and was estimated to be completed in 1965. That date kept moving up. In 1962, the estimate was moved to 1968 and in 1964 it moved up to 1972. 7.4 miles of I-285 on the east side of Atlanta opened in 1968. The entire 64 mile circumferential highway was completed October 15, 1969, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
The highway started out with two lanes going either direction. The cost of the initial highway was $96.9 million. (Atlanta Constitution, August 10, 1969, “The Perimeter: A $100 million necklace”)
It was predicted the Perimeter would have a major economic impact on Atlanta, “because of the expected location of new industries and businesses near the many intersections with other streets and highways.” (Atlanta Constitution, April 14, 1964, “Moving slowly with no firm target dates”)
The kit home of Roy and Anna Head along Chamblee Dunwoody Road was demolished due to the construction of I-285. There must have been many homes in the path of I-285, but another one mentioned in the Atlanta Constitution was an 1842 log home owned by J. H. Whitley in Cobb County.
The planning and location of Georgia State Road 400 were recommended in 1954 and received approval in 1957. Funds in a bond issue protected the right of way and the design between Lindbergh Drive and the Forsyth County Line. The 15.4-mile-long stretch of GA 400 between Johnson Ferry Road and Forsyth County was completed in 1971. (Atlanta Constitution, July 31, 1974, “Old McDonald had a highway”)
From I-285 to Forsyth County, GA 400 is also known as Turner McDonald Parkway. Jim Perkins explained the name in a 1995 Dunwoody Crier article, “Traveling along Turner McDonald Parkway.” McDonald was an employee of Fulton County for 37 years, beginning in 1948. He was Director of the Public Works Department when construction of GA 400 began. GA 400 north of I-285 was named Turner McDonald Parkway in 1974, when the Georgia State Senate and House of Representatives presented the resolution.
According to Perkins, other names given the road were North Fulton Expressway and it was considered part of the Appalachian Development Highway. It wasn’t until August 1, 1993, that the extension of 400 between I-285 and Buckhead was complete. (August 1, 1993, Atlanta Constitution, “Georgia 400: Gateway to north Atlanta”)
A toll was collected to pass through this section of Georgia 400 until November of 2013. On that day, the signs came down and the toll officially ended at midnight. (Atlanta Constitution, Nov. 22, 2013, “Georgia 400 toll ends today”)
Before the toll ended, occasionally a driver would pay the toll of the next car. I have no idea how common this was, but it happened to me once.