BOC Wants Proposals for Ronald Reagan Parkway to I-85

Connecting Ronald Reagan Parkway to I-85 is the subject of a request for proposals issued by the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners. The Board is seeking a public-private partnership to develop the new roadway project that could be financed privately through tolls or user fees.

“We need to relieve the traffic congestion on Pleasant Hill Road, Steve Reynolds Boulevard, Beaver Ruin Road and US 29, but we don’t have the funding to do it any time soon,” said Gwinnett DOT Director Brian Allen. The County is currently building an extension of Sugarloaf Parkway to State Route 316 near Dacula.

The proposed project would include planning and building new interchanges at Pleasant Hill Road and at I-85 plus about three miles of four-lane roadway. The developer could use a toll-collection system to pay for the new roadway improvements instead of traditional taxpayer funding. Under this proposal, there would be no toll charges for the use of the existing roadway.

Ronald Reagan Parkway is a limited-access, four-lane road divided by a median. The major east-west thoroughfare currently extends from Scenic Highway/SR-124 in Snellville to Pleasant Hill Road northeast of Lilburn.

“We’re looking for private businesses capable of designing, building, financing, operating, and maintaining this much-needed road extension,” said Gwinnett County Administrator Jock Connell.

The County will hold a pre-proposal conference for potential partners in July with proposals to be due in August. For more information on the process, please call Debra Parmer in Gwinnett County Purchasing at (770) 822-8720.