Thanksgiving Traffic: What To Know Before Traveling Through Atlanta
Expect heavy traffic in metro Atlanta leading up to and after Thanksgiving.
Alison Guillory / WABE
Thanksgiving is a time to get together with loved ones, and, for many people, that means travel.
No matter how you’re getting through metro Atlanta, your plans can be affected by traffic and crowds. More than 55 million people are taking a trip of 50 miles or more to their Thanksgiving destination, making this the second-highest travel volume since the tracking began in 2000, according to a AAA Newsroom report released this month.
Here’s what to keep in mind before traveling via car, public transportation or plane this week.
GDOT is suspending lane closures in metro Atlanta
The Georgia Department of Transportation announced Monday that construction-related lanes will not be closed on the highways and state routes that experience heavy traffic. Lanes will be open from Wednesday at 6 a.m. to the following Monday at 5 a.m.
“In order to provide a safer and less congested roadway, we are limiting construction-related lane closures,” Georgia DOT State Construction Engineer John D. Hancock said in a press release. “We anticipate heavy traffic statewide while people are visiting their friends and family, as well as shopping during Black Friday.”
But be careful. Crews might still be working on the highways.
Know where there will be heavy traffic in the city
Buckhead and the northern Perimeter could see some of the most traffic in Atlanta, according to GDOT.
Also, be sure to plan your trip around the annual Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon & 5K outside of the Georgia State Stadium and the football game at Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Beware of peak travel times on the highway
Hitting the road on Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. isn’t the best idea if you’re traveling through Atlanta.
The delay will be 3.5 times greater than normal in the metro area, according to AAA Newsroom.
MARTA will have an altered schedule on Thursday and Friday
On Thanksgiving Day, the bus service will be running on a Sunday schedule and the modified Sunday schedule for rail service, according to MARTA’s website.
The day after Thanksgiving, the buses will be on a Saturday schedule, and the trains will run on a modified Saturday schedule.
Be sure to check MARTA’s website for more information about the schedule.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport will be packed
About 1.3 million travelers are projected to fly into and out of the Atlanta airport leading up to and after Thanksgiving, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
So, if you’re planning to head to the airport, expect some lines during this holiday season.
To account for the crowds, Hartsfield-Jackson advises that passengers arrive at least two hours before their flight. Security wait times can also be checked on the airport’s website.
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