getting there: atlanta traffic

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

I'm not sure if this is the place to ask this, but it's worth a try.

Our shortest route to orlando happens to be through atlanta. I've heard that atlanta traffic is horrible. Others say that if you avoid rush hours (plural), then it's not bad. We will be going through atlanta at about 10:30pm on a saturday evening. I'm scared... I'm not driving, but I get very nervous even as a passenger on the road at times. Should we find an alternate route? Our other alternative is through Alabama--which I think is an extra 1 1/2 hours to orlando.

go for it?

if not, how do I get an alternate route on mapquest? i can't find that option.

also, if we go through atlanta, we plan on stopping halfway and getting a hotel. has anyone been to stockbridge, ga? would that be a good place to stop? i found a nice hotel there on hotels.com with a nice price. thanks, i didn't know where else to get the advice.

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

nevermind. i think i got it.

I hit "avoid" on a step that mentions atlanta (on mapquest.) I wasn't sure if it was right, but I noticed the map at the bottom and it looks right. I thought there was a place where you check alternate route, i couldn't remember. anyway, it'll only take us one hour longer to get to orlando through alabama. Haha, I guess I answered my own question. Now I feel stupid. I just get so nervous on road trips and I'm trying to plan things out so I can book a hotel for on the way. sorry. still feel free to comment, though.

[Drince88]

Are the roads you're going on 'as major' when you go through Alabama vs Atlanta? That's something MapQuest and the like often don't account for quite as easily.

And just because something is a "US Highway" - that can be anything from 'very much like a freeway' to a 2 lane road.

Unless there's construction involved - I wouldn't think Atlanta at 10:30 on a Saturday night would be a problem with traffic. Obviously, if you're going right by a stadium or something when the game/whatever is done, that's a different story...

[petesimac]

Yeah, I'd be careful with alternate routes if it's not a major interstate; could be lots of stop lights, etc. That really slows you down. Having lived in Atlanta for a few years, I can attest that the traffic is nearly the worst in the country, even when there aren't any problems/events/construction/etc. But if you plan to stay on I-295 going around the city, you should be fine, even if there's a game that night. 10:30 on a Saturday night shouldn't pose any problems for you.

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

Yeah, I'd be careful with alternate routes if it's not a major interstate; could be lots of stop lights, etc. That really slows you down. Having lived in Atlanta for a few years, I can attest that the traffic is nearly the worst in the country, even when there aren't any problems/events/construction/etc. But if you plan to stay on I-295 going around the city, you should be fine, even if there's a game that night. 10:30 on a Saturday night shouldn't pose any problems for you.

Did you mean 285? Everybody says to avoid the "bypass." They say it's much worse. These are all local people, too, so I think we might just go through.

My husband will be doing the driving at the time and he wants to go through atlanta. His mom is going with us, and she and I both are a nervous about it. I wasn't sure if 10:30 (give or take an hour) on a sat night was a good thing or a bad thing, but I think we're gonna do it.

Pete, are you familiar with Stockbridge, GA? We found a nice little hotel there and I think we might book it.

I'll check for any game schedules for the time we'll be there--just in case. Thanks for the tip!

[GusMan]

Unless there's construction involved - I wouldn't think Atlanta at 10:30 on a Saturday night would be a problem with traffic.

Its a breeze going through ATL at night... but yes, the construction south of ATL, if it is still going on, will get you every time. However, last March it only added about 30 mins of delays total, which I did not think was too bad.

I usually check out the DOT sites for the states that I am going through and try to find out construction information so we at least have an idea as to what is going on.

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

Turns out that there is a Braves Phillies game in Atlanta that evening...figures. We'd have to time it so that we can get through there before the game gets out. My MIL doesn't want to deal with it. She wants to go through Alabama. I can't figure out where to stop in Alabama, though. And I can't find a decent hotel on the way. We don't want to spend more than 75. Ughhh...I'm not good with roadtrips!

[cyberRoo]

Here's something to try: GoogleMaps (maps.google.com) will show you live traffic conditions and calculate the delay. So why not map a course across Atlanta tomorrow evening (account for a time zone difference!) and see what the traffic impact looks like. I'd be surprised if it's more than an hour and a half at that time of night, but at least you'd know for sure.

Keep in mind that traffic is quite a bit easier to deal with when you're just going through (or around) - there shouldn't be too many lane changes and other issues to deal with, which makes it less stressful.

[Greg in TN]

On our trip last month, we drove through Atlanta both ways.

On the way there, we hit Atlanta at about 10:30 am on a Saturday. We went straight through and didn't have any problems; sure we had to watch where we were going, and watch signs, etc, but traffic was not bad.

On the way back, we arrived in Atlanta at about 9:00 on a Monday morning . We took the I-285 bypass and, once again didn't have any problems. Traffic was heavy, but there were no bottlenecks or stoppages.

The time of night you're talking about going through Atlanta, you'll prob'ly be fine just going straight through rather than taking the bypass .

[petesimac]

Did you mean 285? Everybody says to avoid the "bypass." They say it's much worse. These are all local people, too, so I think we might just go through.

My husband will be doing the driving at the time and he wants to go through atlanta. His mom is going with us, and she and I both are a nervous about it. I wasn't sure if 10:30 (give or take an hour) on a sat night was a good thing or a bad thing, but I think we're gonna do it.

Pete, are you familiar with Stockbridge, GA? We found a nice little hotel there and I think we might book it.

I'll check for any game schedules for the time we'll be there--just in case. Thanks for the tip!

Yup, I-285; geesh, you move away for 5 years and you forget everything. With a Braves game getting out right about 10:00 or so, I still think the by-pass would be a good idea instead of going right through town. But it appears that you're going the Alabama route anyway, so... As for hotels, they are a bit more pricey, but I swear by HI Express (Holiday Inn Express), especially the newer ones and the ones that don't accept pets. They're clean, safe, interior corridors and have great, free breakfasts (those cinnimon rolls are to die for). So no matter where you go, look for these and you should be okay. Have a great trip no matter how you get there; I mean, just get there, right?

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

Here's something to try: GoogleMaps (maps.google.com) will show you live traffic conditions and calculate the delay. So why not map a course across Atlanta tomorrow evening (account for a time zone difference!) and see what the traffic impact looks like. I'd be surprised if it's more than an hour and a half at that time of night, but at least you'd know for sure.

Keep in mind that traffic is quite a bit easier to deal with when you're just going through (or around) - there shouldn't be too many lane changes and other issues to deal with, which makes it less stressful.

Thanks for the tip. We looked at live traffic at Atlanta, and there were no slowdowns what so ever. It was just moving right along. We'll just go through Atlanta. Seriously, people do it every day. It'll be fine. There were so many better hotel choices that route, and they were cheaper too.

By the way, have you ever looked at LA for the fun of it? WOW! I'd hate driving around there. They had so many "incidents" and slow downs. It was crazy. Thanks again!

[CBFETT]

Ok, being a resident of Atlanta for 43 years (all my life) here is the scoop. Atlanta traffic is horrible. But if you are going through Atlanta at 10:30pm taking the 75/85 connector even with a Braves game you'll be fine. When the game gets out most will be going North and not South like you will be. Stockbridge is a nice little suburb of Atlanta and you should have no worries. The biggest problem is avoided rush hour here. Morning or night!! If you do happen to come through during rush hour use I-285. On our last trip in May, we drove right through downtown Atlanta coming and going with no issues. I deal with this everyday. Trust me.

[Drince88]

Stockbridge is a nice little suburb of Atlanta and you should have no worries.

Is it far enough out that she won't have to deal with morning rush hour if they spend the night there? Or will she need to keep that in consideration?

[CBFETT]

Is it far enough out that she won't have to deal with morning rush hour if they spend the night there? Or will she need to keep that in consideration?

It is far enough out that she won't deal with morning rush hour. At that point she'll be South of Atlanta and heading south. All of the traffic will be heading North to the city. She be going the opposite direction of the traffic and be completely fine and on their way!

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

Ok, being a resident of Atlanta for 43 years (all my life) here is the scoop. Atlanta traffic is horrible. But if you are going through Atlanta at 10:30pm taking the 75/85 connector even with a Braves game you'll be fine. When the game gets out most will be going North and not South like you will be. Stockbridge is a nice little suburb of Atlanta and you should have no worries. The biggest problem is avoided rush hour here. Morning or night!! If you do happen to come through during rush hour use I-285. On our last trip in May, we drove right through downtown Atlanta coming and going with no issues. I deal with this everyday. Trust me.

What do you mean 75/85 connector? We'll be taking 75s.

Well, Thanks so much for the tips! Actually, I think we've decided to book a hotel that we found in Macon. I did notice that Stockbridge was pretty close to Atlanta. I didn't realize that at first when I found the hotel there. It was a nice little hotel, but we decided to drive just a little farther that night. That way, earlier check-in at disney! We're leaving a little earlier than had originally planned in order to avoid game traffic after the game, so we still wouldn't be out that late.

Is it far enough out that she won't have to deal with morning rush hour if they spend the night there? Or will she need to keep that in consideration?

That thought had dawned on me when I first realized how close I would be to dt Atlanta. That's what first had me thinking we should drive farther out, but I bet for early a.m. travel on a Sunday, the same rules wouldn't apply as far as "rush hours".

[CBFETT]

What do you mean 75/85 connector? We'll be taking 75s.

When you get to downtown Atlanta, 75S will Merge with 85S and we call that the 75/85 connector. 75 and 85 split again once your outside the downtown area.

[mkleinbe]

I agree with everything Chris said 100%, you are not going to have any trouble getting through ATL at 10:30 (I actually find it very fun to drive through ATL at night) and once in Stockbridge, you won't have to deal with morning rush hour. Great minds think alike Chris!

[CBFETT]

Great minds think alike Chris!

I couldn't agree more!

[gacompguy]

As a general rule (and as someone that works and travels through Atlanta all the time), traffic is usually the worst during rush hour in the morning and early evening. The only problems I've ever had with traffic on weekends have usually been when multiple events are going on downtown or there was an accident. You should be totally fine to go through Atlanta during that time.

That said, taking I-285 can sometimes take longer than going down I-75/I-85 through Atlanta (including taking you through some rougher areas of town). If there will be more than one person in the car, you'll start seeing the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) diamond lanes (also delineated with the double line) on the far left-hand side of the Interstate on both 85 and 75; if you have more than one person, you can take that lane. When you reach "The Connector," the HOV lanes will merge into one. If you get in that lane, it will take you all the way through Atlanta fairly quickly. Just make sure you enter the lane when the line is broken and not solid... they tend to enforce that more on weekends than weekdays.

Both WGST (640 AM) and WSB (750 AM) are both good places to get current traffic conditions. Stockbridge is a good place to stop, but you may have a better selection if you stop in McDonough which will come up a little earlier than Stockbridge.

[CBFETT]

That said, taking I-285 can sometimes take longer than going down I-75/I-85 through Atlanta (including taking you through some rougher areas of town)

Pretty good info, but 285 is no more dangerous than 75/85 going throught downtwon ATL. 43 years old all here in the ATL. Went to school downtown (GA State) at night sometimes, worked downtown, traveled all over the city for work. No issues for what they are asking. If they were traveling down Buford Hwy and wanted to stop for gas, be careful. Atlanta is just like any other big city.

[mkleinbe]

I NEVER, NEVER take 285 around the city unless there is a significant traffic incident. I even stay on 75 when there are a million things going on downtown. All of the semis have to go 285, so I enjoy staying on 75 and avoiding most of them. I also feel like it's faster...

[mzloolue]

Turns out that there is a Braves Phillies game in Atlanta that evening...figures. We'd have to time it so that we can get through there before the game gets out. My MIL doesn't want to deal with it. She wants to go through Alabama. I can't figure out where to stop in Alabama, though. And I can't find a decent hotel on the way. We don't want to spend more than 75. Ughhh...I'm not good with roadtrips!

Were you planning to drive straight through to Orlando?

If you are nervous about going through Atlanta during the baseball traffic, what about stopping before Atlanta, then getting up early and going through Atlanta early Sunday morning.
Then it would be light outside too.

Where are you traveling from?
We drive from Memphis and we can go either through Nashville and Atlanta or through Corinth and Jackson, Mississippi and Birmingham.

Going through Nashville is longer, but a bit faster, usually...
And the other way is shorter, but can take a bit longer.

Kind of six of one half dozen of another...

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

Were you planning to drive straight through to Orlando?

If you are nervous about going through Atlanta during the baseball traffic, what about stopping before Atlanta, then getting up early and going through Atlanta early Sunday morning.
Then it would be light outside too.

Where are you traveling from?
We drive from Memphis and we can go either through Nashville and Atlanta or through Corinth and Jackson, Mississippi and Birmingham.

Going through Nashville is longer, but a bit faster, usually...
And the other way is shorter, but can take a bit longer.

Kind of six of one half dozen of another...

We're traveling from southern Indiana. It's technically a 14 hr drive. No, we're not driving straight through, but we wanna drive at least half-way the first day, which is past Atlanta. We've gone ahead and booked a hotel in Macon. So, we'll have less driving the day we check-in.

Our other option would have been to go through Alabama, which is an hr longer. That's not too bad, but we decided to go the shorter way, because it just makes things easier. We'll just time it so that we'll get through Atlanta during the game and not when it's letting out. That shouldn't be too difficult, because that's, what, a 3 hr window? Something like that.

Thanks everybody for the advice. It really helped.

[gacompguy]

Our other option would have been to go through Alabama, which is an hr longer. That's not too bad, but we decided to go the shorter way, because it just makes things easier. We'll just time it so that we'll get through Atlanta during the game and not when it's letting out. That shouldn't be too difficult, because that's, what, a 3 hr window? Something like that.

Even if the game was letting out and you were driving past it, you'll most likely be driving against the bad part of traffic. There's no way it would add an hour to your drive like going through Alabama will. Turner Field (where the Braves play) is on the South side of Atlanta. There are typically more people going North away from the game than South. Atlanta Police also do a good job distributing the traffic.

And, for the record, the way the Braves have been playing ... I would count on about 2 1/2 hours.... possibly less depending on who's pitching that night.

[iHEARTtheMOUSE]

Thanks!