The westside rebuild of Atlanta's I-285 is continuing this weekend, but another major closure has been postponed.
In May, the Georgia Department of Transportation closed a major section of the road, which encircles the city of Atlanta and connects much of the greater metro area, sending both intra- and interstate traffic through the city.
All lanes northbound and southbound from exit 5 to exit 7 were scheduled to be closed this weekend for the next stage of the project. However, that work has been postponed.
Here's what you need to know.
Where is the I-285 lane closure?
According to GDOT, all lanes northbound and southbound between exit 5 at Langford Parkway and exit 7 at Cascade road were going to be closed this weekend.
The partial closure has been postponed "due to potential
for inclement weather.
However, the double left lanes in this section of roadway will still be closed, meaning traffic could back up in this area even with the other lanes open.
This section is south of I-20 and to the west of downtown Atlanta.
When will the lanes be closed?
The closure has been postponed, and GDOT has not released when this particularly planned closure will be rescheduled.
GDOT officials said the eventual closure will result in traffic being detoured into the city, and drivers should expect "extreme travel delays."
"These closures continue the ongoing I-285 Westside Rebuild concrete slab reconstruction and rehabilitation project currently ongoing along the westside of the I-285 corridor from State Route 14/South Fulton Parkway in College Park to Collier Road," GDOT officials said.
Is there an alternate route?
Traffic from southbound lanes will be redirected to I-20 east, then to I-75/85 south through the city and then to Langford Parkway to return to I-285.
Traffic from northbound lanes will be redirected to Langford Parkway, and then through the city on I-75/85 north, and back on I-20 west to rejoin I-285.
It is recommended that any drivers who do not need to use I-285 opt for other routes to get around the city this weekend.
When will I-285 be closed in the future?
There are two other section closures scheduled for I-285 in September. There may be an additional time now that the weekend closure has been postponed.
Closures of northbound and southbound lanes by section are expected the weekend of Sept. 11 to 14 and Sept. 25 to 27.
"As always, this schedule is dependent on weather and onsite roadway conditions, and weekend full closures may be postponed when efficient operations and/or safety are not optimum," GDOT officials said.
The $206 million project is set to replace or repair concrete slabs on the highway, and is scheduled for completion in 2028.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Partial closure of Atlanta's I-285 postponed — again
