Atlanta’s traffic hasn’t been found to peak at any particular time, according to studies. You should instead arrange your path around this location based on when the most people are predicted to be traveling. There will be a lot of traffic during the following periods.
Most congested day of the week: Monday
Monday is the most crowded day of the week for driving in Atlanta. After the long weekend of Labor Day, everyone returns home to resume their new work or school schedules.
Slow traffic begins on Monday, which isn’t necessarily worse than any other workday, but it makes for a sluggish start to the day. Plan your route so that you don’t enter or exit the city during rush hour if at all possible (6 am 10 am and 3 pm 7 pm).
Most congested time: Friday evening
As the day draws to a close, traffic in Atlanta slows down, but as the evening wears on and more people begin to make their way home, conditions worsen. Around 8 p.m., traffic speeds begin to return to normal during the evening rush hour.
Least congested days of the week: Sunday and Thursday
Sunday is the least congested day of the week to travel through Atlanta, with wide open highways throughout the whole afternoon.
Many people will be returning after seeing their families for a few days at the time of holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. If you must travel on one of these days, be sure to budget plenty of time for your journey.
Thursday is the least congested day of the week to drive around Atlanta because lunchtime and the afternoon rush hour are the fastest times. When driving to or from work, drivers no longer have to be concerned about getting stuck in traffic for hours because there are less people on the road.
Avoid rush hour traffic by driving before or after certain periods, when the roads are less congested.
Plan a vacation to Atlanta during off-peak hours and you’ll save money on parking and gas. As a result, drivers should keep an eye out for construction and road closure signs across the city, as this can have a significant impact on traffic flow in particular regions of the city.
If you need to see what the traffic is like now, use Google Maps to get a sense of where you are going.
Best time to drive through Atlanta: when you don’t have anywhere to be
It’s better to drive around Atlanta during the off-peak hours, when there are no large events taking place. The Georgia Department of Transportation Traffic Center or Google Maps can help keep drivers informed of any road closures or construction that may influence their journey if it isn’t possible to do so
Another useful tool provided by the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) is their Hot Map, which depicts the current traffic speeds across the state.
Even though Atlanta’s traffic can be frustrating at times, the region’s enormous public transportation infrastructure makes it possible for commuters to go to and from work without having to worry about getting stuck in traffic.
The Atlanta visit planner can help you navigate the city if you’re planning a trip during peak congested times.
Is there an hour that is rough to drive in Atlanta?
No one can tell for sure what the worst time is to drive through Atlanta; however, we can state when the ideal time is to travel through Atlanta. Atlanta is infamous for its traffic congestion.
The worst time of day and week to drive near Atlanta is Thursday evening from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, when average speeds drop below 34 MPH (approximately 5 km/h). This is according to the 2015 INRIX Traffic Scorecard.
At peak times (before 9 a.m. and after 3 p.m.), drivers normally take around 18 minutes to go across the city, compared to 44 minutes at off-peak times (between 3.0 pm and 07.0 pm).
Does Atlanta have the worst traffic?
Sitting in traffic on I-75N or I-85S, some comment, it sure feels that way. In our research, we found that Atlanta only ranks #10 in terms of costs and time spent in traffic compared to other large cities in the United States.
This is estimated by the US Census Bureau based on the number of hours a person spends commuting annually. According to our calculations, Atlantans spend an average of over 70 hours a year commuting, placing it eighth among major metro regions with populations more than 500,000.
When compared to New York, which took just over 104 hours, and Chicago, which took over 100 hours, it puts things in perspective.
Is it safe to drive through Atlanta on I 75 highway?
The greatest time to drive through Atlanta is during peak traffic hours, even if you think you should stay at home during this time period.
Many individuals travel south to DeKalb or Fulton counties from northern suburbs like Cobb. When traffic gets bad, it might be frustrating, but if no one had a job, things would be even worse. If no one could leave their homes to go to work, the entire core metro area would come to a grinding standstill.
How long does it take to get through Atlanta in rush hour?
Getting to DeKalb or Fulton County from Gwinnett or Cobb county requires a 30- to 60-minute journey south through the metropolis.
If you follow a car too closely behind them when they brake and traffic begins to slow down, this generates a chain reaction back up the highway, which can be extremely dangerous. Keep your cool and let everyone else merge in front of you.
Conclusion
Plan your route around Atlanta during rush hour by remembering that two major freeways pass through the city (I 75N and I 85S). Things get held up near Spaghetti Junction, so if you can, leave early.
Make sure to stay at least two car lengths behind the vehicle in front of you if you’re traveling through during rush hour so that if the driver ahead of you slows, you have ample time and distance to stop as well.
When traffic begins to slow down, keep in mind that it normally takes about 20 minutes or more for the entire roadway to completely come to a standstill. Driving as smoothly as possible (and never following too closely behind!) is the best way to get out of the freeway.
