Downtown traffic should be a real circus this weekend as clowns and cheerleaders, weaves and wigs converge in the Georgia World Congress Center/Philips Arena area.
Philips Arena will be hosting two performances of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus on Friday, followed by three performances each day on Saturday and Sunday.
Next door to the arena, the World Congress Center will be the site of two major events. Some 70,000 cheerleaders, dancers, family members and supporters are expected at the Cheersport National Cheerleading and Dance Championships.
Also at the Congress Center this weekend, the annual Bronner Brothers International Hair Show beginning on Saturday and continuing through Tuesday, is expected to draw a crowd of about 45,000.
"Heavy traffic is anticipated downtown," World Congress Center spokeswoman Christy Petterson told the AJC. "Attendees are strongly encouraged to take MARTA to minimize traffic."
A MARTA spokeswoman said, however, that customers should allow extra time for their trips this weekend, due to scheduled track work that will reduce the frequency of trains on most rail lines.
Those driving downtown from the north on I-75 can expect big delays, as an accident reconstruction will shut down three southbound lanes of the interstate from Windy Hill Road to I-285 from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, and an ongoing repaving project will close two lanes of I-75 southbound from Cumberland Boulevard to Mount Paran Road from 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. on Monday.
The resurfacing will also shut down two northbound lanes of I-75 between Mount Paran and Cumberland Boulevard from 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Sunday.
Closer to town, the project will involve the closures of the southbound ramps to and from Howell Mill Road from 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Saturday, along with the northbound ramps to and from Moores Mill Road.
Another road project will shut down two northbound lanes of Ga. 400 between I-285 and Abernathy Road from late Friday though early Monday.
In Midtown, the three left lanes of Peachtree Street northbound will be closed between 14th and 17th streets, beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday and continuing through 5 a.m. Monday.
At least the weather will be outstanding.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Karen Minton is predicting partly sunny skies, with afternoon temperatures running 8 to 12 degrees warmer than normal for late February.
Highs should be in the low 70s on Saturday, and a little cooler on Sunday, reaching the upper 60s. Overnight lows will be in the upper 40s.
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