Georgia DOT Suspends Lane Closures, Shares Travel Time frames and Safety Tips – Your Native Information

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) anticipates a rise in site visitors in the course of the upcoming Spring Break season for Ok-12 colleges round metro Atlanta and all through the state from Friday, April 3 to Sunday, April 12. Interstate lane closures will probably be briefly suspended on all interstates from 10 p.m. on Friday, April 3 to five a.m. on Monday, April 6.

Important Reminders for Travelers:

• While lane closures are suspended, development crews should be lively close to roadways, and a few long-term lane closures might stay in place for security causes.
• Emergency or incident-related lane closures should happen at any time, as wanted.
• Stay alert, comply with highway indicators, and train warning, significantly close to lively or presently inactive work zones.

Georgia DOT urges vacationers to plan forward and train warning on the roads always, and is sharing the next journey forecast for Spring Break 2026 based mostly on historic site visitors information from 2025. 

Metro Atlanta April 3-12:
Interstates

• Motorists must be suggested of potential heavy site visitors from midday Friday, April 3 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 5.
• The potential for typical site visitors will begin at 3 p.m. on Monday, April 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 9.
• Heavy site visitors is anticipated to renew at midday on Friday, April 10 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 12.

Surface Streets

• Heavy site visitors is anticipated to start within the morning – afternoon on Friday, April 3.
• Normal to gentle site visitors is anticipated on Saturday, April 4 by Friday, April 10.
• Heavy site visitors will choose again up within the afternoon – night on Saturday, April 11.
• Normal site visitors is anticipated on Sunday, April 12.

Major Interstates Outside of metro AtlantaI

• -75 is predicted to have reasonable congestion southbound and northbound out of Atlanta into Stockbridge.
• I-85 and I-185 are predicted to have reasonable congestion in West Georgia close to Alabama.
• I-20 is predicted to have gentle congestion eastbound and westbound in West Georgia close to Alabama.
• I-24 is predicted to have gentle congestion in Northwest Georgia close to Chattanooga.I-75 is predicted to have gentle congestion northbound and southbound in North Georgia close to Chattanooga.
• I-16 is predicted to have heavy congestion westbound and eastbound in East Georgia close to Savannah.
• I-475, I-75, and I-16 are predicted to have heavy congestion in West Georgia close to Macon.
• I-75 is predicted to have gentle congestion northbound and southbound in South Georgia close to Valdosta.
• I-85 is predicted to have reasonable congestion close to Northeast Georgia close to South Carolina.
• I-95 is predicted to have gentle congestion northbound and southbound in Southeast Georgia (close to Florida).

Below are the anticipated schedule adjustments for the South Metro Express Lanes for the Spring Break vacation journey interval. Red instructions point out a change from the standard schedule. Travelers are suggested to examine the up to date schedules and plan their routes accordingly in the course of the vacation journey interval. Please word, the schedules are topic to vary on account of present site visitors wants. There aren’t any adjustments to the Northwest Express Lanes.

Express Lane Schedules April 3-12

Peach Pass Usage Updates:

• Peach Pass is accepted on the categorical lane methods in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.
• Collaboration is presently in place with Florida’s SolarPass, E-Pass, and LeeWay. It can also be interoperable with North Carolina’s FastPass.
• Users coming from accepted states into Georgia can make the most of their go whereas touring on the Georgia Express Lanes.
• For probably the most present updates and directional data, please go to the Peach Pass web site at PeachPass.com

Safe Driving Tips:
If you end up touring this Spring Break vacation, achieve this safely with these greatest practices in thoughts:

• Drive defensively
  • An improve in out-of-town drivers is anticipated this Spring Break. Use warning for unfamiliar drivers on the roads.
  • Be alert and conscious. Slow down, and in case you see a automotive with its hazard lights on, method with warning.
  • Maintain a protected distance between you and the automobile in entrance of you in case they arrive to an abrupt cease.
  • Don’t drive distracted. Stay centered on the highway for any sudden incidents.
  • Pedestrian security is a shared duty between motorists and pedestrians. See and Be Seen always.

• Move over for First Responders
  • Traffic-related incidents are a number one reason behind loss of life for legislation enforcement officers. Do your half to make sure freeway security by driving alertly, eliminating distractions, and staying centered on the highway.
  • Georgia’s Move Over Law requires motorists to maneuver over one lane, if attainable, if an emergency or Georgia DOT automobile with flashing lights is parked on the shoulder of the freeway.
  • Vehicles included within the legislation encompass all first responders (legislation enforcement, hearth, EMS), utility autos, DOT autos, HERO & CHAMP models, and wreckers responding to a crash.

• Call 511 to request HERO or CHAMP Assistance
  • Highway Emergency Response Operators (HERO) patrol the metro Atlanta space 24/7. It is a free service offered by Georgia DOT.
  • HERO assists motorists by altering flat tires, jump-starting batteries, offering gas or coolant, pushing autos to the shoulder, transporting motorists to protected areas away from site visitors, performing minor mechanical repairs, restoring regular site visitors stream after incidents, and administering first support.
  • Coordinated Highway Assistance & Maintenance Program (CHAMP) operators patrol interstates outdoors of metro Atlanta (besides I-59 and I-24) as a free service offered by Georgia DOT. CHAMP assists stranded motorists, adjustments tires, maintains site visitors stream, and identifies a number of upkeep points.

Travel Best Practices:

• Make positive youngster security is a precedence in your automobile
  • Ensure all kids within the automobile are appropriately buckled up earlier than driving to your vacation spot.
  • If a toddler can not slot in a seat belt correctly, preserve them in a booster seat.
  • Remember that seat belts ought to by no means relaxation on the abdomen space or throughout a toddler’s face.
  • When stopping at a retailer or gasoline station throughout your journey, don’t go away kids unattended within the automobile.
  • When you exit your automobile, all the time examine the again seat to be sure to don’t go away a toddler or toddler buckled within the automobile
  • Always put on a seat belt, irrespective of the space you drive. Make positive all passengers are carrying seat belts too. 
  • Distracted driving is a main think about many fatalities. Georgia DOT encourages everybody to Drive Alert, Arrive Alive

• Leverage 511GA Travel Services: 
• Prepare to your journey by using the excellent journey companies provided by 511GA. Visit 511ga.org or obtain the free 511GA app on Apple or Google for:
  • Turn-by-turn navigation, estimated journey instances, and real-time journey speeds.
  • Travel forecasts and real-time highway situations to make sure a protected arrival at your vacation spot.
  • Updates on the present path of the Express Lanes.
  • Access to site visitors cameras alongside your drive to remain knowledgeable about present highway situations and occasions. 

Call 511 to talk with a reside operator 24/7/365. Your security and comfort are our prime priorities. For up-to-date details about journey situations on Georgia’s interstates and state routes, name 511 or go to www.511ga.org earlier than heading out. 511 is a free service that gives real-time statewide data on Georgia’s interstates and state routes, together with site visitors situations, incidents, lane closures and delays on account of inclement climate 24 hours a day, seven days per week. Callers can even switch to operators to request HERO help in metro Atlanta or CHAMP service on highways in different areas of the state.

Georgia Department of Transportation plans, constructs and maintains Georgia’s state and federal highways. We’re concerned in bridge, waterway, public transit, rail, common aviation, bike and pedestrian packages. And we assist native governments preserve their roads. Georgia DOT and its almost 4,000 staff are dedicated to delivering a transportation system centered on innovation, security, sustainability and mobility. The Department’s imaginative and prescient is to spice up Georgia’s competitiveness by management in transportation

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