Thanksgiving travel will clog metro Atlanta interstates again Sunday

With Thanksgiving Day behind us, Georgians are on the other side of the holiday travel period that is expected to see 2 million drivers on roads across the state, according to the AAA auto club.

Sunday will bring the next wave of heaviest congestion. But Black Friday shoppers could run into some snarls in the afternoon and evening, experts say, especially as sports fans pack downtown Atlanta for college football and NBA games.

As of noon, the heaviest congestion was around Lenox Square in Buckhead and Mall of Georgia in Buford, according to state Department of Transportation traffic cameras. Other retail centers, including Perimeter Mall and the Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta, are expected to see clogged roads.

Traffic on the Downtown Connector was also starting to build shortly after noon.

With the exception of downtown hot spots, traffic appeared to be free-flowing on most other roads, GDOT cameras showed. But it will be a different story Sunday between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., the agency advises.

Metro Atlanta interstates will be stuffed more than the holiday turkey during that time, so either pack your patience if you’re planning to travel then or hit the road earlier, experts warn.

Friday’s downtown congestion is expected to get heavier as fans file into Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the 3:30 p.m. University of Georgia vs. Georgia Tech football game. Doors open two hours earlier.

Then, another round of traffic will build around the nearby State Farm Arena for the Atlanta Hawks vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m.

About 81.8 million Americans are expected to travel for Thanksgiving, an increase of 1.6 million travelers over last year, according to AAA. That makes Thanksgiving the biggest travel period of the year, the group says, with the three days before and after the holiday being the busiest for motorists.

In Georgia, that means local and state police will be out in force to help keep roads safe.