2 hours ago - News

I-285 west side shutdown in Atlanta will snarl traffic

Thomas Wheatley

Map showing interstate closure: magenta box reading "Interstate Closed Northbound & Southbound" along I-20; orange detour path; green exits at 9 MLK Jr Dr, 7 Cascade Rd, 5 Langford Pkwy; Downtown Connector; I-75/I-85 signs. — The weekend closure and traffic rerouting will have impacts across the region, the Georgia Department of Transportation said. Map: Courtesy of GDOT

If you're planning to drive to visit mom or just go about your day this weekend, budget for extra time on the road.

Driving the news: On Friday night, Georgia Department of Transportation contractors will close all northbound and southbound lanes on the west side of I-285 to rebuild the road.

Expect a full closure — no traffic passing through — between the Cascade Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive exits south of I-20.

The big picture: The $206 million project involves repairing and replacing concrete slabs.

Construction on the interchange's overhaul is scheduled to last until 2028.

Zoom in: The local roads running parallel to I-285 in the area are mostly residential and will likely clog with people looking for workarounds. Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway is an east-west thoroughfare but is mostly two lanes.

GDOT is advising motorists to take I-20 and Langford Parkway to the Downtown Connector as a detour, which could add thousands of cars to that already congested interstate.

The bottom line: Mark your calendars. Set a reminder. Use transit, walk or roll. And consult the GDOT 511 app to see real-time traffic conditions and updates.

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I-285 west side shutdown in Atlanta will snarl traffic

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