I-285 closures: Reconstruction forces more major weekend detours
More closures: Atlanta I-285 west side closing all lanes
GDOT is shutting down all lanes in both directions of the I-285 perimeter on the west side from MLK Junior Drive to Cascade Road starting Friday, June 5, 2026, through Monday, June 8, 2026. The full-depth reconstruction project costs $206 million to completely rebuild 10 miles of highway and will run until 2028.
A massive highway reconstruction project will completely shut down all west side perimeter lanes on Interstate 285 in both directions for the second time, starting Friday at 7 p.m..
Atlanta interstate road closures
What we know:
The Georgia Department of Transportation is closing all lanes on the west side perimeter of Interstate 285 from MLK Junior Drive to Cascade Road. The total shutdown begins Friday at 7 p.m. and will last until Monday at 5 a.m.. A similar shutdown occurred in mid-May if 2026.
This is part of a $206 million project to completely rebuild 10 miles of the highway, which officials consider one of the worst stretches in the metro area. State workers are doing a full depth reconstruction rather than basic resurfacing.
Driver navigation and detours
What we don't know:
Traffic traveling south will be forced off the perimeter at Interstate 20. Commuters can take it to the Downtown Connector, transition to Langford Parkway, and then head back to Interstate 285.
Northbound vehicles will need to follow the exact same detour route in the opposite direction. State transportation officials expect local side streets and surrounding metro highways to be heavily jammed as people seek alternate routes.
Total project costs
By the numbers:
2028: The year the entire west side perimeter rebuilding project is scheduled to be finished.
206 million: The total dollar amount in millions that the state is spending to reconstruct the interstate.
10: The total number of miles on the west side of Interstate 285 being completely rebuilt.
7 and 9: The specific exit numbers for Cascade Road and MLK Drive where the lanes will block drivers.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from project guidelines and statements from the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Atlanta Department of Transportation.