Drivers across metro Atlanta are being urged to prepare for major delays this weekend as the Georgia Department of Transportation moves forward with a full shutdown of a busy stretch of Interstate 285 on the city’s west side. The closure is part of a massive infrastructure improvement project aimed at rebuilding aging sections of the interstate that officials say are more than 60 years old.
According to GDOT, all northbound and southbound lanes of I-285 between Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Cascade Road in Fulton County will close beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, May 15, and remain shut down until 5 a.m. Monday, May 18. The project was originally scheduled for last weekend but was postponed due to concerns over severe weather.
Transportation officials say the complete closure is necessary so construction crews can safely replace deteriorating concrete pavement and perform additional repairs along the heavily traveled corridor. Drivers traveling southbound will be detoured onto Interstate 20, while northbound traffic will be rerouted to Langford Parkway.
GDOT is warning residents to expect widespread congestion not only around the closure zone, but throughout metro Atlanta, including major delays on Interstate 20, Interstate 75/85, and surrounding neighborhood streets. Officials are encouraging drivers to avoid the area entirely if possible and allow for significantly more travel time throughout the weekend.
The shutdown is part of a larger three-year, $370 million reconstruction effort focused on improving safety and extending the lifespan of one of Atlanta’s busiest highway corridors.
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