The Georgia Department of Transportation announced Thursday that it will suspend lane closures on Georgia interstates and state routes during the Christmas weekend.
The suspension will begin Thursday, December 22 at 5 a.m. and last until Monday, December 26 at 5 a.m. The suspension will also be in effect for New Year’s weekend beginning Saturday, December 31 at 5 a.m. until Monday, January 2 at 5 a.m.
Although lane closures related to construction will be suspended, GDOT reminded drivers in a press release to continue to exercise caution as they travel, as some crews may still be working along highways. The department also said some lane closures may stay in place due to safety concerns, and emergency lane closures may become necessary at any point.
GDOT also released the best and worst times to travel during the holiday season, which can be seen below:
Christmas Weekend Travel: December 22– December 27:
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Metro Atlanta Interstates:
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Lighter than usual traffic is predicted on Friday, December 23 through Tuesday, December 27.
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Moderate-to-heavy traffic is expected on the afternoons of Wednesday, December 21, and Thursday, December 22.
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Metro Atlanta Surface Streets:
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Heavy traffic is predicted from Thursday, December 22 through Friday, December 23.
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Lower traffic volumes are expected from Christmas Eve to Monday, December 26.
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A slight increase in travel times is predicted on Tuesday, December 27
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New Year’s Weekend Travel: December 28– January 3:
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Metro Atlanta Interstates:
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Moderate-to-heavy traffic is predicted on Wednesday, December 28, and Thursday, December 29.
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Lighter than usual traffic is expected from Friday, December 30, 2022, through Monday, January 2, 2023.
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An increase in congestion is expected on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
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Metro Atlanta Surface Streets:
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Normal traffic is expected to return on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
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Light traffic is predicted on New Year’s Day and January 2.
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Normal to better-than-normal traffic is predicted on Wednesday, December 28 through Saturday, December 31.
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GDOT also said that historically, I-85 is significantly more congested near the South Carolina and Alabama borders during this travel period.
For more information on travel conditions on Georgia interstates and state routes, call 511 or visit www.511ga.org.
