I-285 vanishes: Another full closure set for this weekend | What to know

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Metro Atlanta, clear your calendars and get your First Alert Traffic alerts ready: Interstate 285 is about to disappear for the weekend — again.

The Ga. Dept. of Transportation (GDOT) plans to completely shut down both directions of I-285 on the Westside between SR 139/MLK Jr. Drive (Exit 9) and Cascade Road (Exit 7) for a full weekend of work tied to the massive I-285 Westside rebuild.

This is the second of multiple full closures for the I-285 rebuild.

When it happens

• Start: 7 p.m. Friday, June 5
• End: 5 a.m. Monday, June 8

Translation: If you normally “just hop on 285 real quick,” you won’t.

Why is I-285 closing

GDOT says crews need the uninterrupted time to keep the project on schedule, doing work like milling/grinding pavement and prepping for slab repair and replacement. The broader project covers about 10 miles, costs $206 million, and is slated to wrap in 2028.

The ripple effect: traffic won’t stay contained

GDOT warns the closure could trigger region-wide slowdowns, with congestion expected on:

• I-20
• I-75/I-85
• SR 166 (Langford Parkway)
• Local roads across southwest Atlanta/Fulton County

Detours (aka: the official “good luck” routes)

• Southbound I-285: Exit to I-20 (exit 10A) to I-75/I-85 southbound
• Northbound/westbound I-285: Exit to SR 166/Langford Parkway (exit 5)

One big wildcard

Weather. If conditions aren’t safe or workable, GDOT says the schedule could change.

Past stories

• I-285 closure slows traffic, hurts businesses along Cascade Road in Atlanta

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