GDOT: More Travelers Than Usual This Holiday

With Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday, the Georgia Department of Transportation anticipates more travelers than usual during the holiday week and weekend. Motorists should expect congestion near malls and retail centers throughout the week, according to a press release.

“We anticipate heavy traffic throughout the metro Atlanta area and several parts of northwest Georgia beginning...Monday around noon” Dewayne Comer, district engineer at the DOT office in Cartersville, said in the release. “Outlet, mall and retail center traffic will be particularly congested.” 

The good news is the DOT has announced that all scheduled and ongoing construction-related lane closures in northwest Georgia would be suspended for the holidays, beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20, and extending to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2.

“The only exception would be for emergency maintenance work in the case of traffic accidents, and other unpredictable types of transportation incidents,” Comer added. “We understand that a lot of people are hitting the road for the holidays and we would like to make it a little easier for them to go through northwest Georgia.”

Motorists in northwest Georgia are advised to check traveler information and traffic maps on www.511ga.org  or call 511 on any phone for free, real-time traffic information. Georgia 511 provides statewide traffic conditions, route-specific information and estimated travel times. Additionally, 511 callers can access transit providers, major airports, rideshare organizations, Georgia tourism information and 511 systems in neighboring states. 

For those preparing to fly, 511 connects callers to airports in Atlanta and Savannah for information on parking, delays or connections to carriers. An automated voice recognition system guides the service, but callers can also reach live operators to report accidents or congestion, request HERO assistance or obtain additional information

Georgia DOT urges travelers to call 511 for updated information about any maintenance operation or any other construction project on interstates and state routes. Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, such as traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures and delays due to inclement weather. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

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