Atlanta GA or Chattanooga TN at 0600 on Sat. Morning?

[Woodtroll]

Hello, neighbors,

We will be traveling from southwestern Virginia to Destin, Florida this coming weekend. Traveling with two very young grandchildren, we plan on leaving at midnight and driving while they (hopefully!) sleep. One route takes us through Chattanooga TN, the other through Atlanta GA. I don't know much about Chattanooga, but I know Atlanta traffic can be a real bear. Is traveling the interstate through either city likely to be troublesome at about 6 o'clock on a Saturday morning, though? Any other considerations I should take into account on either route?

Thanks very much!
Regan

[Sailordive]

HOV and Peach Pass are two different animals. Peach Pass is a pay for use ie Lexus lane that is only on I85 north of the Perimeter (I285). The HOV lanes inside the Perimeter are 2 or more passengers. Tractor Trailers are not allowed inside the Perimeter except for local deliveries.

The comment above is "not recomended", that is very different from prohibited. I was LEO with DeKalb County, one of the departments that patrol the Northern 1/2 of 85 running through Atlanta. APD only is responsible for a small portion of 75/85 through Atlanta. GSP is busy looking for tractor trailers and single passenger vehicles on the weekdays.

[TC_Z]

JerJan10 wrote:
Because of a previous post about the HOV lanes in Atlanta, I sent the following email to the HOV folks:

Subject: RVs in HOV Lanes? May I drive in a PeachPass and/or HOV lane with my truck towing a fifth-wheel trailer? I have a PeachPass and 2 or more people but have 4 axles.
RESPONSE: Customer Service Today at 11:11 AM To me Mr. T, thanks for your inquiry. Trailers are not allowed in the lane. Regards, Jackie Y. Terrell Peach Pass Customer Service Center Tel: 1-855-724-7277 Email: www.peachpass.com

I checked the GaDOT site as well. It is not clear at all. So I submitted and inquiry as well. Their response was still not as clear as I would like but states below that the intent of the HOV lane is for commuter mass transit purposes. Although I'd like to tough to justify that a MH is mass transit.

"The HOV system is designated for carpools, vanpools, and transit buses. Any vehicles over 6 wheels is not recommended unless a transit bus."

So we plan to travel off peak hours, take our time and stay out of the HOV lane. I would not want to discuss this topic with APD as I am sure I would lose.

[TPUC]

Interesting, My sister in law is a cop down there and tells me no problem in the HOV lane, I know nothing about the PeachPass lanes, I am gonna keep doing it.

[JerJan10]

Because of a previous post about the HOV lanes in Atlanta, I sent the following email to the HOV folks:

Subject: RVs in HOV Lanes? May I drive in a PeachPass and/or HOV lane with my truck towing a fifth-wheel trailer? I have a PeachPass and 2 or more people but have 4 axles.
RESPONSE: Customer Service Today at 11:11 AM To me Mr. T, thanks for your inquiry. Trailers are not allowed in the lane. Regards, Jackie Y. Terrell Peach Pass Customer Service Center Tel: 1-855-724-7277 Email: www.peachpass.com

[Woodtroll]

Thanks very much, everyone, for your helpful advice. I really appreciate you all taking the time to reply!

Safe travels,
Regan

[jaycocamprs]

Most Saturday mornings you wont have a problem in either Atlanta or Chattanooga. But it can happen, just takes 1 idiot to wreck a big truck. This is especially true going west out of Chattanooga.

[TPUC]

I take my 30 foot travel trailer down the HOV lane in Atlanta every time I travel that way. All the signs say is 2 or more people.

[Ivylog]

The construction on 75 north of Chattanooga is finished... more lanes. Plenty of warning to get in left two lanes when I-24 to downtown starts.
I go straight through Atlanta on 75 without problems BUT do not stay in the right lane as there are three areas where the two right lanes become exits... exits for I-285 on the north side, exits for I-20 downtown, and I-85S to the airport. I use the HOV lane but you need to put the pedal to the metal except where I-85 joins as you want 45 MPH... disregard the 25 MPH as it's for a hard right turn to get on 85N.

[Tripalot]

oh boy wrote:
Been thru both going north from Florida. Chattanooga was fine about 0930 on. It is pretty straight forward especially if you have GPS to keep you in the right lanes.
Atlanta we have gone thru 2x once on Sat. early and once on a Sunday about 1000am. Both time traffic was steady but light with no hang ups. This was thru the middle. You can always drive in the HOV lanes as well.

Are M.H.'s allowed in HOV lanes? We were not sure last time we came through Atlanta. It was a Sunday AM and traffic was not bad, so we were not concerned, but HOV would likely be better.

[Merrykalia]

Done both from SW Va and we now do ONLY the Chattanooga way. We used to vary our scenery by going both ways, but after getting stuck in traffic or at least having very steady 80 mph traffic going around us (we usually tow at about 65 mph max) and then being stuck in traffic early one SUNDAY morning in Atlanta, that was the last time for us.

Checking the weather, it's supposed to be 87 on Thursday and Friday with a 0% and then a 10% chance of showers. The lows will be in the mid-50s, so I wouldn't worry about fog.

Just my $.02 worth from a 4 times per year trek south experience over the past 10-12 years.

[oh_boy]

Been thru both going north from Florida. Chattanooga was fine about 0930 on. It is pretty straight forward especially if you have GPS to keep you in the right lanes.
Atlanta we have gone thru 2x once on Sat. early and once on a Sunday about 1000am. Both time traffic was steady but light with no hang ups. This was thru the middle. You can always drive in the HOV lanes as well.

[hawkhill]

At 6 AM on a Saturday I would not worry about Atlanta. I would however worry about visibility thru the mountains around Chattanooga. Last time we were thru there, there was fog until about 10 AM at the higher elevations.

[americanrascal]

Atlanta= Saturday should be no problem. If you are on the west side on 285 the road surface can be rough and you may run into some construction- but even at that at 6AM should not be a problem.

I suggest you check Georgia Navigator -- GA 511 for any incidents/construction to plan your route- or call GA 511.

clicky

Chattanooga never a problem.