Atlanta Traffic

I just came through on Monday morning. 9:30 AM and "by Atlanta standards" it wasn't to bad. I was a full hour from Peachtree City to the I-575 split on the north side.

I came in on I-85 from the SW and downtown to I-75 Northbound. I didn't want the truck traffic on I-285 and the road is also rougher around the west side.

When I went to Georgia Tech in 1959-61 traffic in Atlanta was a mess and the Expressways were under construction.

When I worked as a field engineer for a company based there in the 70's traffic in Atlanta was a mess and the Expressways were under construction.

When I went to through there two years ago traffic in Atlanta was a mess and the Expressways were under construction.

That said, I would try to hit it right after 10:00 AM and get out as quickly as possible. No stopping for lunch or to go potty.

Better yet. go way out of the way to avoid it.

We towed through NB last Tuesday about 1:30 pm. Was a piece of cake & took all of 35 minutes. Not so good for SB, it was tied up from the I-285 exit to Woodstock. On weekdays I try to go between 10 am and 2 pm and hope for the best. lizzie

We usually drive straight through. No earlier than 930. And not after 300pm. I check for any type of traffic info before we head on I-75. If there's a major delay we'll take I-285 around.

Any time could be good or bad. Even rush hours can be easy if no accidents or break downs. You always take your chances. I just always tell people to just not get in a hurry and you will be fine.

A GPS with lane info is reccomended. You say your familiar having been thru there before. I just came south last sunday for the first time towing thru the big A with my 30 footer. It wasnt so bad as we hit town aboout 1pm but things did come to a stop breifly. I lucked out with my lane choices and a couple of courteous drivers behind us. I will aviod it in the future.

Atlanta is bad enough in a car, but in a "C", pulling a toad, nobody will let you in. I wouldn't mind if I could just stay in the right hand lane and let the world go by, but the right hand lane exits. As soon as you move one lane to the left, you're suddenly in the right hand exit lane again. I've even considered buying a mannequin for the passenger seat so I could drive in the HOV lanes.
But now, when I head south from Cincinnati to Sarasota to visit long time friends, I take I-65 and turn left when I get to Pensacola. Yeah, its 300 miles longer, but I overnight in Pensacola where I was stationed for 2 years and have a few cold ones at Rosie O'Grady's Warehouse. (Highly recommended).

WWC wrote:
What is the earliest that I could go through without hitting the morning commute traffic? Do you think by 9:30 or 10 am that it will have thinned out? Now I am sure it will still be heavy, just trying to make it as easy as possible.
Thanks in advance to any that respond.
wwc

5:00 AM works real well, IMHO avoid 6-9:30. There will be lots of traffic after 9:30, but it should move fairly well.

Jim Shoe wrote:
Atlanta is bad enough in a car, but in a "C", pulling a toad, nobody will let you in. I wouldn't mind if I could just stay in the right hand lane and let the world go by, but the right hand lane exits. As soon as you move one lane to the left, you're suddenly in the right hand exit lane again. I've even considered buying a mannequin for the passenger seat so I could drive in the HOV lanes.

I-75 south, keep 2 lanes to your left. Let the right ones come & go.

okay, I am going to pick those of you who travel it more frequently than I do... what time on Friday afternoon/evening will traffic begin to move again.. I will be coming in on I85 SB, and only need to get to US41 & 285... or I75 and exit 258.. I am going up for a seminar and am staying near Cumberland Mall... yes, in a hotel.. so I won't be towing, just in my truck. maybe I can borrow Jim's mannequin so I can use HOV lanes.

Atlanta is like any major city in the East Coast, traffic and construction. As bad as it is in Atlanta, it is just as bad in Washington, Baltimore, New York and Boston. At least once you clear the Atlanta suburbs traffic thins out. I95 from Washington to Boston is just one continuous line of traffic. And the same goes for any major city across the country.