Community Forums

b1rider · 10-10-2018, 09:30 PM

I live on the north side of Atlanta and have to cross the city everytime I want to go south (Florida). I hate it and don't really want to get up at 3 AM to beat the traffic.

Have any of you detoured around the city to avoid the traffic? I'm on the North West side so going east really doesn't make sense, at least not yet. I believe I am going to wait until I move away from here to avoid this mess.

**JohnRR** · 10-11-2018, 05:40 AM

I’d go west as much as I dislike using the extra distance. Most of the time I use straight through the city.

Betr2Trvl · 10-11-2018, 06:26 AM

We live in the NE burbs, and keep our coach near Lake Lanier close to 985.

If we are heading south, we always leave on a Saturday or Sunday. We usually try to come back on a weekend too, but that doesn’t always work out - in that case, just hit Atlanta mid day and suck it up.

There is a reason traffic is where / what it is, because it makes no sense to try something else time wise. I don’t get the people that spend 3 hours going around Atlanta (or any other city for that matter) to avoid being stuck in traffic for an hour....

Just a side note, when we took 285 from 20 on the west side up to 85 on the north side in mid August, it seemed to us that there had been a lot of work done on the road surface and it wasn’t as terrible as it had been for years.

doc · 10-11-2018, 09:26 AM

You could try 120 west, but it would be a lot of stop lights and intersections. Then down toward Villa Rica. Metro Atlanta is huge as you well know and as a 'good ole boy' told me once, "I ain't sure you can get there from here".
It is interesting that metro A seems to go north all the way to Dahlonega but drops off quickly just below the airport.
Let us know what kind of route you figure out

Americanrascal · 10-11-2018, 03:34 PM

Not sure where you are in the area north of ATL. You may want to consider getting over to US 27 then south to LaGrange and catching I-185 south to US 280/GA 520 in Columbus, then to Tifton (or Moultrie from Albany on 133).

Or at Columbus you cab grab 27 down to Tallahassee (4 lane) or take 431 and 231 down to the Gulf

This is probably no good if you are in NE Atlanta, but anywhere west of 75 its a good run

We do that route very frequently, but we live over that way. Its 4 lane all the way. Absolutely no traffic, lots of nice places to stop. Getting to 185 may add a bit but it is a very nice ride

b1rider · 10-13-2018, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Betr2Trvl

We live in the NE burbs, and keep our coach near Lake Lanier close to 985.

If we are heading south, we always leave on a Saturday or Sunday. We usually try to come back on a weekend too, but that doesn’t always work out - in that case, just hit Atlanta mid day and suck it up.

There is a reason traffic is where / what it is, because it makes no sense to try something else time wise. I don’t get the people that spend 3 hours going around Atlanta (or any other city for that matter) to avoid being stuck in traffic for an hour....

Just a side note, when we took 285 from 20 on the west side up to 85 on the north side in mid August, it seemed to us that there had been a lot of work done on the road surface and it wasn’t as terrible as it had been for years.

I'm the same way, leave on either Saturday or Sunday. Coming home, we stop at Twin Oaks in Elko, GA, enjoy a meal at Yoders, and head out early Sunday morning. We can usually be home by 1.

I agree it doesn't make sense to spend hours trying to avoid Atlanta, just close your eyes and plow through for an hour or two. We got held up with a wreck on the east side of Atlanta on 285 one time, took me over two hours to finally hit 675 S. It was hot hot hot.

b1rider · 10-13-2018, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Americanrascal

Not sure where you are in the area north of ATL. You may want to consider getting over to US 27 then south to LaGrange and catching I-185 south to US 280/GA 520 in Columbus, then to Tifton (or Moultrie from Albany on 133).

Or at Columbus you cab grab 27 down to Tallahassee (4 lane) or take 431 and 231 down to the Gulf

This is probably no good if you are in NE Atlanta, but anywhere west of 75 its a good run

We do that route very frequently, but we live over that way. Its 4 lane all the way. Absolutely no traffic, lots of nice places to stop. Getting to 185 may add a bit but it is a very nice ride

I was telling my wife if we lived in Villa Rica or in that area, we could take the routes your talking about. That would be great but she doesn't want to live out there. Guess I'm screwed.

b1rider · 10-13-2018, 09:31 PM

I was starting to take 400 down to 285 but they are now working on the interchange at 400 and 285. Guess I will be going back to 75 to 285 or possibly right through down town. I have heard others are going through town and avoiding 285. I know I'm not taking 285 South on the West side of town!! I thought I was going to bend a rim, blow a tire, or break something on those huge potholes. Good to hear its better coming north but south bound is to avoided.

Wizard · 10-14-2018, 07:27 AM

I always just go straight through, just take your time and be patient. Last friday we went through at 6pm on I-20. Slowed down to a creep in a couple of spots but no major problems. Really slow where 285 and 20 merged. I always go through town on 75 also. Just don't be in a big hurry,

twinknkate · 10-15-2018, 05:18 AM

X2 on going straight through on 75/85. All the semi traffic must use 285 unless they are making a delivery downtown, so you avoid most of them by going through town. Leave early on a weekend day (preferably Sunday) and you will be fine.

Jake21 · 10-15-2018, 05:26 AM

Watch your mirrors! That town’s got some seriously narrow lanes.

b1rider · 10-16-2018, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Americanrascal

Not sure where you are in the area north of ATL. You may want to consider getting over to US 27 then south to LaGrange and catching I-185 south to US 280/GA 520 in Columbus, then to Tifton (or Moultrie from Albany on 133).

Or at Columbus you cab grab 27 down to Tallahassee (4 lane) or take 431 and 231 down to the Gulf

This is probably no good if you are in NE Atlanta, but anywhere west of 75 its a good run

We do that route very frequently, but we live over that way. Its 4 lane all the way. Absolutely no traffic, lots of nice places to stop. Getting to 185 may add a bit but it is a very nice ride

This sounds interesting. I have been north on 27 towards Summerville and south out of Rome, but never as far as LaGrange. I'm close to catching 27 South not far from Cartersville so this might work. I wonder how many hours it adds to the trip? Atlanta is tough but it doesn't last too long. I'll keep this one in mind.
I use to travel south GA in the 80's and there are nice roads all the way to Tifton out of Columbus.

Bamaman · 10-16-2018, 11:53 PM

From Marietta (NW) going to Florida (SE), you have no bypasses available that are reasonable in distances.

Listening to AM750 is your best way to decide which way to go. If the Connector (downtown) is busy, go I-285 west around the airport to I-75 South. If the Connector is not busy, straight through downtown is the best way to go.

Last time we went to Florida, I came through there very early Sunday morning. Damned if we didn't hit the weekend roving paving crew that never finishes paving--eternally. We still got backed up.

I guess it's a matter of luck whether any route is clear--no matter the day or time of the day/night. Traffic is why I left Atlanta 15 years ago. It would sometimes take me 2 hours to get all the way up to 50 mph crossing town for work in Alabama.

Americanrascal · 10-17-2018, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b1rider

This sounds interesting. I have been north on 27 towards Summerville and south out of Rome, but never as far as LaGrange. I'm close to catching 27 South not far from Cartersville so this might work. I wonder how many hours it adds to the trip? Atlanta is tough but it doesn't last too long. I'll keep this one in mind.
I use to travel south GA in the 80's and there are nice roads all the way to Tifton out of Columbus.

Not sure on added time. The speeds are pretty good and traffic is non existent except for a few lights in Carrolton and LaGrange. But its 4 lane and very light or non existent traffic. It would be hard to imagine more than an extra hour in this the further north you start-- mostly as there is little to no risk of any chunky traffic or construction and the route becomes more direct if the start is further north. If the start point was around 1-75/I575 split maybe an extra 1.5 hrs? But the further north you get started on 27 I think you save more time overall, in fact there may be a lot less added time from Cartersville? Also the further west you go in FL (Panhandle?) this route gets better.

If the decision is only about time, I might tough it out going through or around ATL. But for safety and enjoyment I 'd stay to the west along this route. It works well for us as we are west of ATL But we vary the route (ATL vs west GA) as our needs dictate.

I have some other RV friends that swear by the US 27 route. I guess I quit worrying about the time issue in retirement as its a less stressful and more enjoyable RV drive for us-- and overall not too far out of the way??? LOL We are kinda pokey so we stopped looking at the clock nowadays. We have some regular and enjoyable stopping points along this route that fit our style and that handle our rig length quite well.