More than 3 million Georgia travelers will hit the road in the next two weeks to celebrate the end-of-year holidays, according to the AAA auto club.
That could get messy — quick. But with sufficient preparation, you may be able to avoid congestion in metro Atlanta and around the rest of the state.
The Georgia Department of Transportation based its traffic expectations for the holiday season on data from last year’s patterns. The main takeaway? Travel early in the morning or depart later than everyone else.
“More than 3.8 million Georgians will travel this holiday season, setting a new record,” said Montrae Waiters, a spokesperson for AAA, via email. “With busy roads and airports, we urge travelers to plan ahead, allow extra time and consider travel insurance to protect their trip.”
Among those Georgia travelers, 3.4 million will pack up their vehicles and arrive by car. That’s a slight increase of nearly 2% from last year, AAA said.
Driving is the “overwhelming favorite” mode of transportation for Americans because of convenience and affordability, AAA reports.
National average gas prices are the lowest they’ve been in four years, dropping below $3 per gallon, according to AAA. On Thursday, the national average for regular gas was $2.896 compared to $2.766 in Georgia. Those figures are about 14 cents lower than this time last year.
AAA warns this weekend before Christmas, particularly between noon and 9 p.m., will see busy interstates.
The worst traffic during Christmas week will be Monday and Tuesday, especially between 3 and 7 p.m., according to GDOT. Light traffic is expected on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and after the holiday until Dec. 28.
If you must travel on one of the busy days, consider leaving outside peak traffic hours. If you don’t mind showing up late to the party, driving on Christmas Eve might save you a headache from traffic — and extended family.
The areas with the worst traffic around the Christmas holiday will be within and around I-285 particularly along I-75, Macon on I-475 and I-75, and Savannah on I-16 and I-95, GDOT reports.
Expect moderate traffic in the greater metro Atlanta area, northwest Georgia near Chattanooga, Tennessee; northeast Georgia near Anderson, South Carolina; south of Brunswick going into Jacksonville, Florida; and the Valdosta area.
Light traffic is anticipated west of Douglasville where Georgia meets Alabama, southwest of LaGrange and Augusta.
While GDOT predicts similar traffic patterns around the New Year holiday, AAA warns highways will be busier during the Christmas week.
To ease flow, GDOT will temporarily suspend lane closures on interstates, major state roads and streets near key shopping areas, malls and retail spaces. The suspension will last from 6 a.m. Dec. 23 to 10 p.m. Dec. 28 and from 5 a.m. Dec. 31 to 5 a.m. Jan. 2.
That does not mean that some lanes won’t still be blocked for emergencies, and construction work may still take place along highways. Some long-term closures may also remain, though GDOT did not specify which ones.
The heaviest traffic around New Year is expected 3-7 p.m. on Dec. 29 and 30. Light traffic is expected on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and continuing through Jan. 4.
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