The Georgia Department of Transportation announced on May 15 that all northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 285 between State Route 139/Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive (exit 9) and Cascade Road (exit 7) in Fulton County will be fully closed from Friday evening, May 15, at 7 p.m. until Monday morning, May 18, at 5 a.m., weather and onsite conditions permitting.
This closure is part of the ongoing I-285 Westside reconstruction project aimed at rebuilding a key segment of one of metro Atlanta’s busiest corridors. The department said the closure is necessary to complete essential work including milling and grinding existing concrete pavement and preparing for slab repair and replacement. “No traffic will be permitted through this section of I-285 at any time during the closure,” according to the announcement.
Motorists are advised to expect significant delays across metro Atlanta as well as heavy congestion on nearby routes such as I-20, I-75/I-85, and Langford Parkway (State Route 166). Spillover traffic is also expected on local roads throughout southwest Atlanta and Fulton County. Drivers are strongly encouraged to allow extra travel time, consider alternate routes or adjust travel times, check real-time traffic updates using navigation tools like the 511GA app, and follow posted detour signage.
Detours will divert southbound I-285 traffic to I-20 (Exit 10) then onto I-75/I-85 southbound; northbound and westbound traffic will be rerouted via SR166/Langford Parkway (Exit 5). Overhead message boards and roadside signs will provide advance notice about closures.
The $206 million reconstruction project covers ten miles from SR14/South Fulton Parkway in College Park to Collier Road. Additional full closures are expected throughout the project’s duration with completion scheduled for 2028. The Georgia Department of Transportation delivers transportation solutions that support economic development statewide while employing about 4,000 staff members with an operating budget over $4.5 billion; it focuses on maintaining roadways as well as supporting rail, transit programs, working under the State Transportation Board in cooperation with local governments and federal agencies according to the official website.
Drivers are reminded to wear seatbelts, slow down in work zones, follow all posted signage, stay alert for changing patterns or unexpected conditions during construction periods.
