Expect major delays this weekend since crews plan to shut down I-285 for construction. The Georgia Department of Transportation announced a full closure of all northbound and southbound lanes of I-285 between Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (Exit 9) and Cascade Road (Exit 7) in Fulton County.
The closure is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Friday, May 8, and remain in place until 5 a.m. Monday, May 11, weather and site conditions permitting. This will be one of several full lane closures planned during the course of the project. A complete freeway shutdown like this has not happened since the I-85 bridge fire in 2017.
"This is not something we take lightly," said Natalie Dale, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Transportation. "The size of the roadway, the amount of lanes, and the massive equipment required make it safer and more efficient to close the entire freeway." Dale said that the concrete is from I-285's original 1969 rebuild. She also said I-285 took 11 years to build.
Clearly marked detours will be in place during the closure. Southbound I-285 traffic will be diverted to I-20 at Exit 10 and routed to I-75/I-85 southbound. Northbound and westbound I-285 traffic will be redirected to Langford Parkway at Exit 5.
The closure is part of the ongoing I-285 Westside reconstruction project, which spans about 10 miles from South Fulton Parkway to MLK Jr. Drive. Crews will mill and grind existing concrete pavement in preparation for slab repair and replacement.
According to GDOT, the full closure is necessary to safely accommodate heavy equipment, provide adequate workspace for crews, and protect motorists.
The I-285 West Side Pavement Reconstruction includes three projects to replace deteriorating pavement along about 15 miles of the corridor, along with shoulders, median barriers, glare screens and guardrails.
