ATLANTA, Ga. — Anyone planning to drive the Perimeter along Atlanta’s west side in Georgia this weekend will need another way around. The state transportation department closed Interstate 285 in both directions Friday at 7 p.m. and does not plan to reopen every lane until 5 a.m. Monday.
The shutdown runs from Paces Ferry Road down to South Cobb Drive, and the length differs by direction. Southbound, about 3 miles across two exits are closed beginning at Paces Ferry Road. Northbound, roughly a mile is shut from South Cobb Drive up to Atlanta Road.
Crews are using the time to grind away old concrete so the road can be patched or replaced. The job falls under the state’s Westside Rebuild for I-285, a three-year push to reconstruct and resurface a 14-mile stretch. A department spokeswoman described the corridor as a very old stretch of highway that needs whole sections rebuilt.
Official detours steer cars to the Downtown Connector, I-75 and I-20. Tractor-trailer drivers are being pointed to the Downtown Connector and I-20 in both directions, and state officials said truckers following that route will not be ticketed for it.
Expect heavy delays in Cobb County, with backups spilling onto side streets. Drivers caught in earlier shutdowns recall hour-long waits, and others say the potholes and rough pavement make the work worth the hassle.
This is not a one-time closure. Dozens of full weekend shutdowns are planned over the next three years, and more are tentatively scheduled through the end of 2026. Work will pause during the Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks.
Section: More Atlanta GA crime news
Filed under: Atlanta GA Traffic News
