Atlanta, Georgia decision

Total Bliss · 08-31-2016, 10:42 AM

I heard that going through atlanta was a nightmare. What would be the best route traveling south from tennessee on I-75, to get around it?

rp53 · 08-31-2016, 10:52 AM

would assume you are going to FL. ?? take 285 around ATL but it's not much better, don't know your travel schedule but the later at night you can go through ATL the better

Total Bliss · 08-31-2016, 10:54 AM

Sorry, Florida

rp53 · 08-31-2016, 11:02 AM

i lived in ATL traffic there is a real pain, if you can i would suggest you drive through after midnight, if you can just stay on I75 it's not really that bad then, avoid say 6AM till 10 if at all possible and then again say 3PM till 8 good luck

Helmsey · 08-31-2016, 12:26 PM

When we make that drive we stay on 75 through town. We just try and time it so we hit town after 10am and we seem to have decent luck with traffic. I also try and keep in the 2nd lane from the right as that right lane ends up being exit only several times on that stretch through downtown.

BooBoo23 · 08-31-2016, 01:10 PM

I live on the west side of Atlanta. The best times to handle the traffic are between 10:00am and 3:00pm and go straight through or after 9:00pm to 6:00am for the least amount of traffic (if there is such a thing). Watch the overhead signs for any traffic accidents or tie ups. Truck traffic is restricted from going straight through unless they are delivering so you don't have a lot of big rigs to contend with, just idiots. Also, on all interstate highways in Georgia trucks over 6 wheels are restricted to the 2 right lanes except for left exits, motor coaches are exempted.
If you don't want to go straight through take I-285 around the west side. Signs will say "Birmingham", since you pick up I-20 on the west side for that. Use the 2nd or third lane from the right and try to stay in it. If you go around the west side (going south) you will want to be in the right lane after you pass through the airport runway tunnel to exit back on I-75. Once you start the exit from I-285 to I-75 you will need to keep moving over to the left until you reach I-75.
Listen to FM 95.5 or AM 750 for traffic information on WSB radio. They give a report every 7 minutes. For terminology going straight through is called "the connector" and I-285 counter-clockwise is the "outer loop" and clockwise is the "inner loop".

Total Bliss · 08-31-2016, 02:46 PM

Thanks Boo Boo. Is the west 285 better than the east

BooBoo23 · 08-31-2016, 03:07 PM

Definitely take the west side if you are going around Atlanta, the worst traffic on I-285 is between I-75 and I-85 on the NE side. It is about 7 miles further going to the east. Also, get through there during no rush hour. I-75 on the south side of Atlanta is a nightmare after 3:00pm, and is bad southbound on the north side until about 10:00am in the mornings. So time your journey to miss the rush hour traffic, if you get to Atlanta too early you may as well find a place to stop and relax because you won't be moving anyway. It's not a nail biter but just a test of patience. Let the fast traffic go by you. You will find that most of the traffic is moving at 70mh+, don't let it bother you. Just cruise 55-60 and relax. You may just want to be in the 3rd lane from the right since the big rigs are restricted to the 2 right lanes and you will stay out of their way.

CampingGator · 08-31-2016, 03:19 PM

We just go through Atlanta on I-75. Stay over to the right, but not always in the very right hand lane. Sometimes those lanes veer off to an exit. We go 65 or less and let the other cars go around us. We try not to be the one changing lanes. Slow and steady wins the race, so to speak. Avoid rush hour times if possible. We sometimes will leave north Florida at noon, so that would put us there during rush hour, but we have not done that with the trailer yet. The one time we went with the trailer we spent the night further south and went through on a Saturday morning.

Kevin & Judy · 08-31-2016, 03:22 PM

My last 2 times through Atlanta the bypasses sucked, I just came through about 10 days ago, Figured id give it a shot going straight through. Came through at 4.30 pm, We used the HOV lane and were through in about 15 minutes,

**RedLdr1** · 08-31-2016, 03:23 PM

I live north of Atlanta. I-75 north of Atlanta is screwed up from a little south of Cartersville to I-285. The construction of "Lexus lanes", in the middle of the Interstate, and the new Braves stadium being built at the corner of I-75 and I-285 on the north side have made a real mess.

Once you make it through, or around, Atlanta the construction mess begins again at I-75 and I-285 on the south side of Atlanta for "Lexus Lanes" again... That is about 25 miles or so...

If I had my choice I'd go through / around after 8PM to avoid most of the construction delays. DOT here generally will not work at night...but they do make exceptions to screw up the roads 7X 24 in some cases...

BooBoo23 · 08-31-2016, 03:40 PM

You may get by in the HOV with a MH but don't try it towing a trailer.

rp53 · 08-31-2016, 08:43 PM

i was in Atlanta this spring and the HOV lanes are now toll lanes at least they are on 185

Total Bliss · 08-31-2016, 08:45 PM

What is HOV

rp53 · 08-31-2016, 08:46 PM

High Opupency Vehicle

BooBoo23 · 08-31-2016, 09:26 PM

The tolls vary with the amount of traffic on the interstate. More traffic higher tolls. It hit a record high a few days ago of almost $14 to travel the length of the northbound HOV. I-75 will have toll lanes in the near future on both the north and south sides of Atlanta as soon as they finish the construction.

dalford · 08-31-2016, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BooBoo23

You may get by in the HOV with a MH but don't try it towing a trailer.

Why? I go straight thru Atlanta in HOV lane all the time pulling a 37ft 5ver. I have researched it and can find nothing that says I can't plus there are no posted signs along the HOV that says no RV trailers. I would appreciate it if you have some info on this as I don't want to break the law.

Hit Atlanta between 10AM and 3PM at the latest and as long as someone has done nothing stupid you will fly right thru.

I find the bypasses much worse, plus that is where all the trucks are..

dalford · 08-31-2016, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BooBoo23

The tolls vary with the amount of traffic on the interstate. More traffic higher tolls. It hit a record high a few days ago of almost $14 to travel the length of the northbound HOV. I-75 will have toll lanes in the near future on both the north and south sides of Atlanta as soon as they finish the construction.

Yes they are building those super lanes right now. In the mean time they have HOV lanes that require 2 or more people in the vehicle. There is no toll for the HOV lanes thru Atlanta. It is a single lane to the far left. Stay in that lane and it will get you around the large bottleneck at I-75 and I-85. Zip- right thru.

Now, go early or late and you will be rush hour stop and go traffic. Even during optimum times between 10-2 there is always the possibility of someone doing something stupid and cause and accident. This can happen on the bypasses also.

SKnight · 08-31-2016, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BooBoo23

I live on the west side of Atlanta. The best times to handle the traffic are between 10:00am and 3:00pm and go straight through or after 9:00pm to 6:00am for the least amount of traffic (if there is such a thing). Watch the overhead signs for any traffic accidents or tie ups. Truck traffic is restricted from going straight through unless they are delivering so you don't have a lot of big rigs to contend with, just idiots. Also, on all interstate highways in Georgia trucks over 6 wheels are restricted to the 2 right lanes except for left exits, motor coaches are exempted.
If you don't want to go straight through take I-285 around the west side. Signs will say "Birmingham", since you pick up I-20 on the west side for that. Use the 2nd or third lane from the right and try to stay in it. If you go around the west side (going south) you will want to be in the right lane after you pass through the airport runway tunnel to exit back on I-75. Once you start the exit from I-285 to I-75 you will need to keep moving over to the left until you reach I-75.
Listen to FM 95.5 or AM 750 for traffic information on WSB radio. They give a report every 7 minutes. For terminology going straight through is called "the connector" and I-285 counter-clockwise is the "outer loop" and clockwise is the "inner loop".

I'll fully second this. Time of day is more important than how you go through. Personally, I'd time it to go straight through on the connector at the times mentioned, middle of the day or middle of the night. If you come through anytime near rush hour the 285 on the west side is the best of several bad options. Atlanta traffic is simply a train wreck, no matter which way you go.

**RedLdr1** · 09-01-2016, 03:05 PM

If you are considering I-75 to Florida this Labor Day weekend keep a close eye on the weather forecast. South Georgia, as in south of Macon, may get some very serious rain out of the tropical storm. I've seen I-75 flooded around Tifton, GA and it ain't pretty...

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