Major Atlanta highway expansion will come at the cost of a number of homes

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The expansion of a major Atlanta highway will go right through several homes.

GDOT will tear down the homes in the Northgreen neighborhood in Sandy Springs, all in the name of progress.

Michael Poppell said GDOT recently told him and 19 other homeowners on Northgreen Drive that the expansion of Georgia 400 will go right through their homes.

"It looks like the express lanes will actually be where our kitchen stands now," he told Channel 2's Justin Wilfon.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Burned body found near dumpster at DeKalb County park
• Active tuberculosis cases confirmed in two Floyd County elementary schools
• 'Fortnite' concerns: Doctors seeing game-obsessed children for health issues

GDOT told Wilfon tearing down the homes, will be painful for them too.

"Certainly one of the hardest things that we do is have to approach someone to acquire their property. It’s not something we want to do," said Natalie Dale with GDOT.

GDOT believes it’s worth it because of the positive impact the project will have on drivers.

In never-before-seen animation Wilfon obtained, you can see newly added express lanes along a 16-mile stretch of Georgia 400 through North Fulton County.

RAW VIDEO: Georgia 400 expansion project GDOT shared video of the project with Channel 2.

“We really feel this is a viable option, for moving people in various ways … moving people in their cars, for moving people on transit systems," Dale said.

With construction likely to begin in 2021, neighbors know their time in their homes is running out.

“And now we’ve got to find another place," Poppell said.

GDOT will be paying those people for all of their homes. Now, they’re anxiously waiting to hear, what GDOT offers.

Cox Media Group