going east avoiding Birmingham Al to NE of Atlanta

[sonbeau]

We'll be on 82 east out of Eldorado, AR going to Cleveland, GA which is northeast of Atlanta.want to avoid Birmingham and Atlanta as much as possible. We've done pretty well avoiding major routes and cities from Arizona so far and would like to continue in that manner.
Google maps suggests either going north at Columbus, MS to pick up 278 across or going south through Tuscaloosa and going south under Birmingham on 11 to 280 to 144 and then up to meet 278. Both are about 360 miles and we plan to do it in 2 days. Which has less traffic, better roads?

[zigzagrv]

Halmfamily wrote:
Take 459 around Birmingham and you shouldn't have any issues.

X2, and have gone straight thru Atlanta on I-20 many times. Don't recall ever having any delays. Of course, depending on time of day, you may encounter heavy traffic on both I-459 and I-20.

[Halmfamily]

Take 459 around Birmingham and you shouldn't have any issues.

[padredw]

I can't tell you how many times we have made this route from East Texas (on I-20) to Atlanta towing our fifth-wheel trailers. We have had four and I think every one of them has been to Atlanta and back several times.

Here is the reason for my post: in all those years (20+) and all those fifth-wheels, we have not had one significant slow-down going around Birmingham on I-459.

Most of our trips ended at Stone Mountain RV Park and, as hard as it is to believe, we never had any problem going right through on I-20 to the famous I-285. Now I will admit that I-285 is not a scenic or pleasant route, but never a problem.

Now for the honest confession: I was still young the last time we were in Atlanta (My closest friends have died). That was 10 years ago (I had to look that up) and I was 75 at the time.

Sorry about all this, I just got carried away with memories. The thing I really wanted to say is that getting around Birmingham on I-459 was not a problem on any of these many trips.

[johnhicks]

Bremem > Newnan > Griffin > Eatonton > Athens and then you can follow 441/105/115 to Cleveland. It's out of the way but I swore years ago I'd never go through or near Atlanta again.