MACON, Ga. — With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it's likely you are already prepping your plans for travel. But with holiday travel comes holiday traffic, and the Georgia Department of Transportation has released a travel forecast to help Georgians plan their travel around traffic.
Meteorologist Ansley Parker takes a look at the expected traffic and travel forecast and breaks it down.
Here's what GDOT predicts:
Monday and Tuesday (November 25th and 26th) traffic will begin to pick up slightly but will still be moderate. Congestion will likely be heaviest between 3 and 7 p.m..
Wednesday (November 27th) is when traffic becomes heavy. Congestion will be the heaviest between noon and 6 p.m., and GDOT recommends adding about 30-45 minutes to your drive time.
The best days for travel during the week will be Thanksgiving Day and Friday (November 29th), where little no to traffic is expected. The traffic picks up once again for the following weekend with moderate traffic expected for Saturday (November 30th) and heavy traffic expected for Sunday (December 1st).
For drivers heading outside metro Atlanta, watch for delays along I-20, I-75, I-85, and I-16.
The good news is, GDOT is going to suspend lane closures on interstates, major state routes, and roads near popular shopping areas from Wednesday through Sunday.
Hopefully a look at traffic conditions can help you prepare your travel for this Thanksgiving season.
GDOT also reminds drivers to practice safe driving skills by buckling up and staying alert, and checking 511ga.org or the 511 Georgia app for real-time traffic and road conditions.