ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The Georgia Department of Transportation is warning metro Atlanta drivers to plan ahead for significant regional traffic disruptions this weekend as Interstate 285 closes completely in both directions for construction work.
The full closure runs from 7 p.m. Friday, May 8 through 5 a.m. Monday, May 11, weather and on-site conditions permitting. The closure affects I-285 between State Route 139/Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at Exit 9 and Cascade Road at Exit 7 in Fulton County. No traffic will be permitted through this section at any time during the closure.
Why It Matters for Truckers
I-285 is one of metro Atlanta’s most heavily traveled freight corridors. The closure is expected to cause significant region-wide delays, heavy congestion on I-20, I-75/I-85 (the Downtown Connector), and Langford Parkway (SR 166), as well as spillover traffic on local roads throughout southwest Atlanta and Fulton County. Commercial drivers hauling through or around Atlanta this weekend should plan alternate routes well in advance.
Detour Information
Southbound I-285 traffic will be diverted to I-20 at Exit 10 to I-75/I-85 southbound. Northbound and westbound I-285 traffic will be diverted to SR 166/Langford Parkway at Exit 5. Overhead message boards and roadside signage will alert drivers in advance of the closure.
The Project
The closure supports the ongoing I-285 Westside reconstruction project, a $206 million effort spanning 10 miles from SR 14/South Fulton Parkway in College Park to Collier Road. The project is one of two major efforts to repair and replace concrete slabs along the I-285 westside corridor. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2028.
GDOT is urging all drivers to check traffic conditions before leaving using the 511GA app or other navigation tools, allow substantial extra travel time, and follow all posted signage.
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