Avoiding Atlanta

[mikreb]

Traveled today on I-75 toward Atlanta, but took 129/441 thru Athens and Madison GA instead of falling for the temptation of making better time thru Atlanta (which is a gamble anytime of day or night). The drive thru the countryside was much less stressful and took only 14 minutes longer than the projected time thru Atlanta. The projected time thru Atlanta assumes you are going the speed limit. I think I will use this Atlanta-dodge going forward. Anyone have experience using this route.

[pklein9747]

Someone earlier this year posted this work-around and we used it coming home in September. Stayed overnight in Madison, had dinner in their town square and took a pleasant walk in the area. It was so nice to avoid Atlanta area and traffic.

Here's the route that was suggested (North to South):

Take your regular route south to Columbia, SC. Turn west to I-20 to Augusta. Continue west towards Atlanta. Get off at Madison, Georgia. Have lunch in Madison. It's a beautiful town. Turn south on 441/ 129. You can go cross country to I-75 avoiding Atlanta or south to Milledgeville and west on I-16 to Macon and meet up with I-75 south. Madison/Eatonton/Milledgeville is part of the Georgia Antebellum trail. Lovely towns and homes to meander through.

[baustgen]

We always plan on going thru Atlanta on Saturday or Sunday. Never had a problem. Now, Chattanooga is another story.

[Stu from NYC]

If you avoid rush hour do not find going thru Atlanta is a problem.

[justjim]

Chattanooga, Tn and Nashville, Tn are more of a traffic challenge than Atlanta, Ga the last several years. You can drive thru Atlanta on I-75 New Years Day morning and find the least traffic of the year.

[Road-Runner]

Lived in the Atlanta area almost all my life and worked downtown for years. The biggest issue is the connector (I-75 & I-85 merge through town) and where it intersects I-20, terrible backups there especially during Rush 'Hour'. The problem is rush hour is often 2-3 hours or more long with mid-morning to early afternoon being the best times to sneak through downtown. Sometimes going around I-285 is better, but not always.

[Lottoguy]

We always take the direct route through Atlanta. We use the HOV lanes which are always less congested. We try to time it so were driving around noon time when it's the least busiest.

[Bilyclub]

Agree with Chattanooga has gotten worse than Atlanta.

[Bilyclub]

Chattanooga, Tn and Nashville, Tn are more of a traffic challenge than Atlanta, Ga the last several years. You can drive thru Atlanta on I-75 New Years Day morning and find the least traffic of the year.

Try taking Briley Parkway in Nashville. Only 4 traffic signals between I 24 and I 65 / I 24.

[Jimbob the Newbie]

If you are traveling north through Nashville, we have lately been taking I-10 west, taking US231 through Dothan and Montgomery, then catching I-65 into Nashville. We have been going back and forth from the Chicago area pulling a travel trailer, and avoiding Atlanta and Chattanooga was well worth the few extra miles.

[SIRE1]

Traveled today on I-75 toward Atlanta, but took 129/441 thru Athens and Madison GA instead of falling for the temptation of making better time thru Atlanta (which is a gamble anytime of day or night). The drive thru the countryside was much less stressful and took only 14 minutes longer than the projected time thru Atlanta. The projected time thru Atlanta assumes you are going the speed limit. I think I will use this Atlanta-dodge going forward. Anyone have experience using this route.

We will be driving down I-75 to The Villages next week and was interested in your recommendation. I looked at Google Maps, however, to see the route you are recommending but I can't see how you got to Athens, GA from I-75. The route that Google Maps is showing is to come down I-75 to the I-285 bypass, then go East and get on I-85 north, and then south on US 129 to Athens, GA. I'm sure you found a much better way than that or else you would have taken either the HOV straight through town or the I-285 west loop back to I-75 by the airport.

[Koapaka]

We will be driving down I-75 to The Villages next week and was interested in your recommendation. I looked at Google Maps, however, to see the route you are recommending but I can't see how you got to Athens, GA from I-75. The route that Google Maps is showing is to come down I-75 to the I-285 bypass, then go East and get on I-85 north, and then south on US 129 to Athens, GA. I'm sure you found a much better way than that or else you would have taken either the HOV straight through town or the I-285 west loop back to I-75 by the airport.

I believe while you can get great info here, there best thing to do is use WAZSE app while on your way down. While we can all give you great info on what we know to be the concerns, it has up to the moment info for accidents, construction, ect.

[FLSunshine]

I live in metro Atlanta. You can never be sure when there will/will not be traffic but there are times when it’s most congested:

-Between 7 am and 10 am weekdays
-Between 4 pm and 7 pm weekdays
-Friday afternoon
-When it’s raining
-If they are having a sporting event or other downtown event

The best time to go through Atlanta is lunch time on weekdays, after 8 pm weekdays, and Sunday mornings.

Now after posting these times, I hope traffic doesn’t get worse with more people going through Atlanta.😀

[dewilson58]

Usually leave TV to head North (including driving thru ATL) at 6am.
Never really have much of a problem.
Yes, some slowdowns downtown....but not bad.

This morning, left at 8am..............same results.
There was an accident, but that happens every where.

Chattanooga, not bad this trip.
Nashville terrible as usual.

[Road-Runner]

We will be driving down I-75 to The Villages next week and was interested in your recommendation. I looked at Google Maps, however, to see the route you are recommending but I can't see how you got to Athens, GA from I-75. The route that Google Maps is showing is to come down I-75 to the I-285 bypass, then go East and get on I-85 north, and then south on US 129 to Athens, GA. I'm sure you found a much better way than that or else you would have taken either the HOV straight through town or the I-285 west loop back to I-75 by the airport.

That bypass only works when you're heading up the eastern states like North & South Carolinas, Eastern Tennessee, etc. as an alternate to I-85 not I-75 through Chattanooga and points north. Georgia has talked about putting an outer bypass to I-285 around Atlanta connected I-75 north of Atlanta to I-75 / I-85 south of Atlanta, but has probably waited too long to do it with all the development that has spread outward from Atlanta in all directions. Go through Atlanta, just make sure you do it at the times suggested above and you'll probably be fine.

[SIRE1]

"That bypass only works when you're heading up the eastern states like North & South Carolinas, Eastern Tennessee, etc. as an alternate to I-85 not I-75 through Chattanooga and points north. Georgia has talked about putting an outer bypass to I-285 around Atlanta connected I-75 north of Atlanta to I-75 / I-85 south of Atlanta, but has probably waited too long to do it with all the development that has spread outward from Atlanta in all directions. Go through Atlanta, just make sure you do it at the times suggested above and you'll probably be fine."

That makes a LOT more sense. The post indicated going to The Villages down I-75 and I could not figure how that route was going to be easier and only take 15 -30 minutes more. I'll keep my normal routing and go through the city or take the I-285 west bypass depending on what the map on my phone shows for traffic. Just thought you might have discovered a "magic" route.

[427dave]

We have been doing this route for years. From The Villages we go to US 19 through Dunnellon via 484, 40, then 336 then up US 19 to I 10 because I hate the I 75 traffic and was usually pulling a trailer, then on to 231 towards Dothan then I 65 to Nashville. This bypasses Atlanta and Chattanooga. Then I 24 and various roads to Wisconsin :)