The public had a chance this week to look at plans for a new interchange on McGinnis Ferry Road, which could mean big changes for traffic in south Forsyth.

On Tuesday, an open house session was held at Fowler Park to discuss the new interchange and the issues that go along with it. The new plan could reduce traffic issues in south Forsyth, and construction is set to begin in 2018 and be done by 2020.

“There’s a lot of excitement about the project because it’s going to give another interchange on Ga. 400 to get on and off of 400 for the citizens of the county and also for the east-west McGinnis Ferry-Gwinnett connector,” said Tim Allen, county assistant director of engineering. “It’s a very important project.”

The diamond-shaped interchange would add northbound and southbound auxiliary lanes on Ga. 400 from the Exit 11/Windward Parkway ramps to the Exit 12/McFarland Parkway ramps, including the new interchange on McGinnis.

The total project is slated for 4.98 miles – 3.28 miles on Ga. 400 and 1.7 on McGinnis, as well as other roadside improvements.

The project will replace a bridge over Ga. 400 and widen McGinnis Ferry Road from Bethany Bend to the intersection of Union Hill Road onto Ronald Reagan Boulevard to Counselors Way.

Ga. 400 southbound is also getting an additional lane for about 5,400 feet total north and south of the McFarland Parkway exit.

McGinnis Ferry Road would be widened to: four lanes from Bethany Bend to Deerfield Point Drive; four lanes from Deerfield Point to the interchange; six lanes from the interchange to the intersection of Union Hill Road onto Ronald Reagan Boulevard to Counselors Way.

“It will also feed into the Ronald Reagan Boulevard extension that we will have under construction in 2018, as well; it will complete Ronald Reagan from McFarland up to Majors Road,” Allen said. “So it’ll complete that connection parallel to 400, which ties directly back to the interchange.

“So if you’re coming into the county when the new interchange is open, you can get off at McGinnis and go up Ronald Regan and hit any of the side streets.”

McGinnis Ferry Road will also receive additional right and left turn lanes at major intersections, a five-foot sidewalk on the southbound side of the road and a multi-use path on the north.

GDOT will bid the project, and design and purchasing right of way in the county will be handled by Forsyth County. The cities of Alpharetta and Milton will also be involved.

“I think it’s necessary; something has to be done about traffic,” said Sandy Gonzalez, an Alpharetta resident who was looking at the plans. “Hopefully it’ll work; it looks like it will. Anything to improve the congestion.”

Copies of the plan will be available for review until April 21 at the county’s engineering department on the first level of the Forsyth County administration building.