Atlanta, Georgia: I-285 Closes in Both Directions Between Cascade Road and Langford Parkway From Friday Night to Monday Morning

Drivers in Atlanta have one more full closure of the Perimeter to plan around this weekend. The Georgia Department of Transportation will close all northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 285 in southwest Fulton County from 7 p.m. on Friday, October 23 until 5 a.m. on Monday, October 26, weather permitting. Northbound, every lane closes between Cascade Road at exit 7 and State Route 166, Langford Parkway, at exit 5. Southbound, every lane closes between Langford Parkway and Cascade Road.

GDOT announced the closure under a plain warning: traffic will be detoured, extreme travel delays are expected, and drivers should plan alternate routes in advance. The department says anyone who uses this segment should allow significant additional travel time or stay off it altogether this weekend.

The work under the empty lanes

Crews will mill and grind the roadway concrete so the slabs underneath can be repaired or replaced through the project area. GDOT says the full closure gives crews room to work safely and protects drivers while large equipment is in operation on the closed lanes.

The closure is part of the I-285 Westside Rebuild, a 206 million dollar project that is rebuilding and rehabilitating concrete slabs along the west side of the corridor from State Route 14, South Fulton Parkway, in College Park to Collier Road. It is one of two westside corridor projects with the same job, scheduled for completion in 2029.

The lesson from last weekend

This is the second full Perimeter closure in two weekends, and the first one is the reason for the warnings. The full closure on the Smyrna segment, from South Atlanta Road to South Cobb Drive, on October 16 to 19 caused gridlock in and around the construction zone. Some motorists reported taking 30 minutes to travel half a mile, 11Alive reported. FOX 5 Atlanta found semi trucks struggling through Smyrna residential streets while residents sat in standstill traffic on local roads.

GDOT says tractor trailers that ignored posted detours were to blame for a lot of last weekend's backups. Trucking leaders say many drivers were simply confused, and that there is not enough signage to direct truck drivers properly to the Interstate 75 southbound detour through downtown and onto the Downtown Connector at Interstate 75 and 85. GDOT says it is working with the Georgia Trucking Association to spread the word to carriers, post more signage, and coordinate better with law enforcement this weekend.

How to get around it

GDOT says all drivers should avoid the closure area as much as possible. Suggested detours use Interstate 20 or Highway 166 to reach downtown Atlanta, and then the Interstate 75 and 85 Connector to head north or south through the city. The department strongly urges drivers to rely on the 511GA app as the primary source for real time traffic conditions and lane closure details, and Georgia 511 also takes calls around the clock for conditions, incidents and delays.

The standing work zone advice applies all weekend: slow down, wear a seatbelt, follow the signage, and move over a lane when possible for crews. The lanes are scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. on Monday if the weather and conditions on site allow the work to finish on schedule.