The demolition of a MARTA pedestrian bridge on Ga. 400 southbound on Saturday, Nov. 16, and a road race commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Ga. 400 toll in the northbound lanes on Sunday, Nov. 17, will likely be the worst backups of the weekend, according to Georgia DOT officials.
“We are expecting significant backups on Saturday and Sunday mornings on Ga. 400,” said District Construction Engineer Shun Pringle. “Plan ahead if you are headed to these areas. It may save you some time and spare you some frustration.”
The pedestrian bridge work will begin at 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, and will reduce the southbound traffic to one lane from Wieuca Road and Peachtree Road. The work should be completed and all lanes reopened by noon on Saturday. DOT said in a press release.
On Sunday, Nov. 17, at 5 a.m., all of the northbound lanes on Ga. 400 from the Glenridge Connector to Lenox Road will be closed for the “Ga. 400 Four Mile – Pay the Last Toll” road race. It is sponsored by The Georgia Games and will benefit local charities. Detours will be in place during the closure and all lanes will be reopened by 11 a.m., DOT said.
The good news for motorists in Atlanta this weekend is that the only other significant interstate lane closures will be in the overnight hours on I-75/I-85 northbound at Freedom Parkway. Contractors will be closing up to three lanes for bridge painting but they are scheduled to be out of the roadway by 5:00 a.m. each day.
Several surface street closures are likely as well related to the continuing construction of the new 400/I-85 interchange. Intermittent closures are planned on Sidney Marcus Boulevard, Cheshire Bridge Road and on the Buford-Spring Connector.
–Collin Kelley