New Year’s Eve in Atlanta promises hot events, lukewarm parking options and cool weather.
Tuesday’s forecast calls for highs in the upper 40s to low 50s, and it will be breezy at times, said David Chandley, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist. The breeze might affect Chick-fil-A Bowl Parade goers in the early afternoon and those trekking from MARTA or far-flung parking lots.
The parade is from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. It begins near Ivan Allen Jr. and Ralph McGill boulevards, with most of the route running along Andrew Young International Boulevard.
The Chick-fil-A Bowl starts at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Georgia Dome.
As night falls, the temperature is expected to drop into the high 30s, leaving folks exiting the Chick-fil-A Bowl football game and heading to the Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta out in the cold. This year’s Peach Drop is expected to have a sweet side, as a giant yellow peanut M&M will keep company with the traditional peach during the night’s festivities.
With all of this activity, Doug Turnbull in the AM 750 and 95.5FM News/Talk WSB Traffic Center strongly suggests carpooling or taking MARTA.
“In cases like this, MARTA really is smarta,” Turnbull quipped. “With the number of street closures and the number of people concentrated in one place, you don’t really want to drive in that.”
MARTA officials said there will be a number of buses rerouted because of street closures for the parade and the Peach Drop. From 12:30 to 3 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, bus routes 1, 16, 51 and 110 will be rerouted for the Chick-fil-A Bowl Parade. Starting at 4 p.m., bus routes 1, 3, 13, 16, 32, 42, 49, 51, 55, 74, 110, 155 and 186 will be rerouted for the Peach Drop at the Underground.
A news release from MARTA says there will be “regular weekday service with extra rail service as needed.”
The last trains on the Red, Gold and Blue lines will leave Five Points at 2 a.m., officials said. Beginning at 6 p.m., the Green line will only run from the Bankhead station to the Vine City station until the last train at 2 a.m.
For those who insist on driving, there is public parking in the Georgia Dome's Yellow lot, and an interactive list of other lots downtown. As a bonus, you can click on the lot to see what restaurants are located nearby.
And for those who drive but decide to indulge in alcoholic celebration, the auto club AAA, in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has compiled a list of sober/safe ride programs.
