I-285 Weekend Shutdown: What To Know, Where To Go

Drivers rolling around Atlanta’s westside this weekend should plan extra time or choose alternate routes.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) will close a stretch of I-285 traffic between Cascade Road (Exit 7) and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (Exit 9) in Fulton County beginning on Friday at 7 p.m. and lasts until Monday at 5 a.m.

Avoid I-285: Your Mission This Weekend

I-285 Weekend Shutdown: How To Survive on Atlanta Road

GDOT spokesperson Maria Delgado said, “We strongly encourage everyone to leave early, use real-time navigation apps and consider public transit or carpooling where possible.”

I-285 Weekend Shutdown: What Drivers Can Expect:

Detours and Alternate Routes:

  • Southbound Traffic: Diverted off at I-20 (Exit 10A) to the I-75/I-85 southbound bypass.
  • Northbound and Westbound Traffic: Diverted off at SR 166/Langford Parkway (Exit 5).
  • Local Traffic: Expect severe congestion on surrounding surface streets and intersecting routes like I-20, I-75/I-85, and Langford Parkway.

GDOT and Atlanta Police are urging caution in construction zones and reminding drivers that speeding fines double in active work areas. Tow trucks will be stationed nearby for quick clearance of any incidents.MARTA rail and bus service will run on regular holiday schedules with no direct impact from the closure, though riders should check marta.com for any adjusted bus routes near the Perimeter.For live traffic updates, drivers can dial 511, visit gdot.org, or follow

Follow GDOT on social meida and download the Georgia 511 app. The agency says the roadway is scheduled to reopen on time Monday morning barring any weather delays.This is the second in a series of planned I-285 weekend improvements that began last year as part of the multi-year Top End project. GDOT officials say the work is critical for long-term safety and traffic flow around Atlanta’s busiest loop.Mother’s Day travel tips from AtlantaFi:

  • Leave for brunch reservations 45–60 minutes earlier than usual.
  • Consider restaurants inside the Perimeter or south of I-20 to avoid the closure entirely.
  • Have a backup plan — many families are already shifting plans to Saturday instead of Sunday.

Stay with AtlantaFi.com for live updates throughout the weekend. We’ll have traffic cameras, detour maps and on-scene reports as the closure begins tonight. Safe travels, Atlanta — and Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms hitting the road this weekend.

More from AtlantaFi.com:

Tee Johnson: Tee Johnson is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AtlantaFi.com, Atlanta’s independent hyper-local publication focused on news, restaurants, events, jobs, neighborhoods, and lifestyle. A 15+ year Atlanta resident and longtime journalist and content creator, she covers Travel News, Events, Business, Hair Care, and Money with a practical, Atlanta-first lens. Before launching the site, Johnson worked as a substitute teacher in Atlanta Public Schools and later in corporate roles at Home Depot’s Vinings offices. A marketer by training with a degree in business management, she grew frustrated with the fragmented, hard-to-find information about what was actually happening in the city. That gap led her to create AtlantaFi as a curated, one-stop resource for the pulse of Atlanta—#ATLHAPS—without the national noise. Editorial decisions remain independent; the publication does not accept products, meals, or services in exchange for coverage. As Editor-in-Chief, she oversees original local reporting and curated practical guides that help residents, visitors, and businesses discover and engage with the city. Readers turn to her work for timely event roundups, dining and neighborhood insights, business and travel updates, and straightforward money and lifestyle coverage grounded in firsthand observation of Atlanta. A devoted lover of all things Atlanta, Tee enjoys pickleball, a good margarita or bourbon, and walking the Atlanta Beltline. She can be reached for editorial inquiries at tjohnson@atlantafi.com (serious inquiries only).
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