I drove down to Orlando from Chicago Saturday. Holy shit, was the traffic in Atlanta horrendous. I will never complain about Chicago traffic again. I75 was a parking lot from the northern part of the city to the southern part. Bumper to bumper,standstill most of the way. That was around 3:00 on a Saturday. Does anyone from the area have any tips on avoiding that on the way back? Better time of day, the day itself etc. I dread going back because of it. Thanks

I can only suggest you use google maps and it may reroute you around 285 if it's bad on 75/85 in town. I despise going anywhere near the Perimeter let alone in town

You're screwed

When I go back to the western NC mountains from TX I have to go thru ATL. Usually I just use 285, it’s still bumper to bumper but at 85 mph. Complete pandemonium.

Next time I may just go 2 lane roads up thru Rome and avoid ATL altogether, but it adds an hour to an already long trip.

Where 75 and 85 meet is always a parking lot. I’ve only ONCE gotten thru there w/o it being congested and slow.

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When I go back to the western NC mountains from TX I have to go thru ATL. Usually I just use 285, it’s still bumper to bumper but at 85 mph. Complete pandemonium.

Do not do this. 285 between 75 and 85 on the top end is under construction. Expect LONG delays.

As far as when to drive through Atlanta. After 8pm and before 6am during the work week. If you have to during the day, the best time is between 10am-2pm and that's still a crapshoot.

Weekends are hit or miss. Depends on football and/or baseball events. Lots of construction now too.

Overall, I'd say get a peachpass but I know how much I hate having to spend toll money...

When traveling from Western NC we take back roads through Ga. and intersect I-75 in Macon. We reverse course on the return trip. GPS says it costs us 45 minutes travel time but with the stupid delays in Atl. we make up time.

As an aside, when I hit the Atlanta area, Google told me to take the I75 Express Lanes. So I did and discovered that a Peach Pass is required which I do not have. I can only hope the toll and the fine doesn't bankrupt me. But it is a beautiful road and helped me get through Atlanta. I didn't save much time but every minute counts.

Use the 285 loop. That's not a guarantee, but what I can tell you is that your chances of moving non-stop through Atlanta are much better if you avoid I-75/85 inside 285. Yes, it adds miles to your journey, but at least you're in motion.

On the top-end of 285 between 75 and 85- watch out for motorists traveling at excessive speeds. Word to the wise.

Strange time for that much traffic. Must have been a wreck or construction.

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Originally posted by myrottiety:
Strange time for that much traffic. Must have been a wreck or construction.

Perhaps a single raindrop fell somewhere within the Atlanta Metro area.

You're going to use I-285 around the west side of town to avoid the downtown based on mileage.

As mentioned, construction and accidents can have a major effect on the traffic and that's somewhat unpredictable.
One thing you can do to give yourself the best chance, is to pick the hours you go through there and avoid anything around morning or evening rush hour. While that's still no guarantee, you have a much better chance.

Another option is to go around the east side using I-675 and I-285 coming back. That adds about 10 miles to the trip but the highway itself seems to be in much better condition to me. However being from Chicago it probably all seems better to you.

Many of the phone mapping apps have real-time traffic showing traffic flow/speed graphically that can be a big help if you see slowdowns early enough.

The times we used to go thru Atlanta to or from trips to Florida, we’d always try to hit it either late at night or real early in the morning. That’s all I got.

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Many of the phone mapping apps have real-time traffic showing traffic flow/speed graphically that can be a big help if you see slowdowns early enough.

Waze is a plus to have for traffic info, and PoPo references.


Driving in the south requires some form of NASCAR mentality at times.


As others said, going I75/85 though the city is a straighter shot, however it can be a crap shoot. Some times it's smooth and faster, others it's a parking lot, running 285 on the West side you have a better shot at staying moving than downtown.

Weekends, early AM seem to be best or really late after work traffic hours, maybe a wreck, construction, some kind of ball game letting out downtown slowed it when you came through. Thing is you can have a wreck on I85 in the area and it will FUBAR I75 traffic as well if it's within a mile of the interchange.


Run WAZE, watch it for traffic info ahead, and stay in off peak times.

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Originally posted by HRK:
Driving in the south requires some form of NASCAR mentality at times.

And don't forget your Goody's® Headache Powders!

I used to go through Atlanta on I-75 to get to Florida. I timed it to get to town about 4 AM. Still plenty of traffic, but it was 85+ MPH. With lots of high speed lane changes! I can only imagine the insanity during daylight.

I always plan our trips to go through ATL around 2am or so...

There’s a lot I miss about living in Atlanta, but the traffic isn’t one of them. It just plain sucks.

Some good info here. Thanks for all the help.

Never forget... you're not IN traffic. You ARE traffic.

If Yankees would drive to Florida some other way our traffic would improve greatly.

The above comment makes me ask another question. Has anyone ever taken the panhandle west and then north? In my case I was wondering about taking I10 west to Alabama to US 231 and then to I65. That might work but I'm wondering what 231 is like and how many additional miles and time it would add.

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Originally posted by Bulldog7972:

The above comment makes me ask another question. Has anyone ever taken the panhandle west and then north? In my case I was wondering about taking I10 west to Alabama to US 231 and then to I65. That might work but I'm wondering what 231 is like and how many additional miles and time it would add.

It has been a few years since I drove that route, but the last time that I drove it, 231 was fairly fast through rural areas, and it was four lane divided with businesses on each side in more populated areas, and a T-34 (see typical photo below) on the southbound side -- I was northbound. The T-34 belonged to the flying club at Montgomery Air Force base. It was flying to Montgomery Regional Airport (just a few minute flight), and ran out of fuel.