Here is your guide to metro Atlanta road projects this week

ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Transportation announced a series of major metro Atlanta road projects Monday, including a three-day bridge shutdown in Cobb County and holiday lane closure suspensions on I-285. 

Metro Atlanta traffic delays

What we know:

Georgia Department of Transportation contractors will close the Powers Ferry Road bridge over the Chattahoochee River in Cobb County to all traffic from 5 a.m. Tuesday until 9 p.m. Thursday for a $1.6 million rehabilitation project. Onsite signage will detour motorists to Interstate North Parkway while crews repair concrete overlays, edge beams, substructures, and bridge joints. 

In Henry County, daily lane closures on State Route 20 run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. throughout September for utility relocation ahead of a planned traffic shift. 

What we don't know:

Officials have not yet confirmed the exact weekend dates for proposed full closures on the I-285 Westside Rebuild between Collier Drive and Paces Ferry Road, which are expected between mid-October and mid-November. GDOT has also not provided specific daily detour travel time estimates for the Powers Ferry Road bridge closure. 

Interstate 285 construction update

Why you should care:

Holiday travel gets a reprieve as GDOT suspends all construction-related lane closures on interstates and major state routes across metro Atlanta, including I-285 in Cobb and Fulton counties, from 12 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Sept. 8. 

The suspension aims to ease traffic during peak Labor Day leisure travel, though emergency repairs or crash responses could still require temporary lane restrictions. 

Atlanta highway repairs

By the numbers:

The I-285 westside corridor features two massive concrete slab replacement efforts, including a $155 million project from Fulton County to Cobb County scheduled for completion in fall 2028, and a $206 million project in southwest Fulton County set to finish in 2029. Meanwhile, the $1.6 million Powers Ferry Road bridge project is expected to wrap up in late fall 2027. 

Georgia transportation safety

What you can do:

Drivers traveling through active work zones should reduce speed, avoid distractions, wear seatbelts, and move over one lane when approaching highway crews. Motorists can track real-time traffic conditions, detours, and road closures by calling 511, visiting 511ga.org, or downloading the Georgia 511 mobile app.