Here are best times to beat holiday traffic this Independence Day weekend

Experts warn interstate traffic could be heavy Friday afternoon and evening.

Expect busy interstates throughout metro Atlanta on Friday ahead of Independence Day, experts say. (Ben Hendren for the AJC/FILE)

By Alex Nettles

1 hour ago

AAA predicts more than 2.1 million Georgians will travel by car during the weeklong Fourth of July festivities, but the real holiday math could begin when unprepared drivers in humming cars start wringing their hands in traffic.

A nine-day holiday stretch that began last weekend is projected to bring only modest travel increases from last year, and it’s going to be busy enough that the auto club expects record-setting levels. About 2.4 million Georgians are expected to go at least 50 miles from home, with the vast majority opting for a road trip.

Motorists will clog metro Atlanta’s major highways with typical to heavy traffic over the next few days, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The agency expects typical traffic levels Thursday, Sunday and Monday, based on patterns from previous holidays.

Metro Atlanta traffic will peak, GDOT said, from noon to 8 p.m. Friday. Those wishing to avoid traffic jams should leave early that day or wait until Saturday to take off. Traffic on Independence Day is expected to be light, the transportation agency said.

Generally, it is best to leave Atlanta earlier in the day, according to AAA. Officials recommend travelers leave before noon Wednesday and Thursday, before 11 a.m. Friday and Sunday, or after 3 p.m. on Saturday.

GDOT will suspend lane closures from early Friday through early Monday in preparation for the influx of cars.

In addition to congestion around the metro area, interstates leading to Savannah and Florida could see moderate traffic, according to GDOT.

Georgia’s gas prices averaged $3.56 per gallon for regular unleaded as of Tuesday, up more than 60 cents from a year ago, according to AAA.

For those opting to fly, busy travel days include Sunday and Monday. More than 4 million people are expected to pass through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport during the holiday travel period, according to airport officials.