Sunny skies and the warmest temperatures in months Friday and Saturday will be welcomed by road crews working on the I-75 repaving project, while cooler conditions on Sunday will be welcomed by runners in the Publix Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Karen Minton said highs Friday and Saturday will be the warmest since last October, topping out in the low 80s.
Afternoon readings on Sunday will be considerably cooler, only reaching the upper 60s or low 70s, Minton said, adding that there’s a 20 percent chance of showers on Sunday.
The state Department of Transportation warned that heavy delays can be expected on I-75 through Cobb and Fulton counties as the ongoing resurfacing project resumes.
“It looks like we are going to have good weather this weekend,” said DOT district construction engineer Lee Upkins. “I’m sure we will get a lot of work done, but there will be extreme delays in both directions.”
The DOT said there will be moving triple-lane closures both north- and southbound between Cumberland Boulevard and the Brookwood Interchange from 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday.
The exit ramp from I-75 southbound to West Paces Ferry Road will also be closed during those hours, as will the southbound HOV exit ramp to Northside Drive.
North of that construction zone, there will be traffic pacing several times on Saturday and Sunday morning in both directions on I-75 just north of the South Marietta Loop for Georgia Power to pull cables across the interstate.
Other weekend construction projects will close the two right lanes of I-20 westbound between Riverside Parkway and Thornton Road, the two left lanes of I-85 north and southbound between Pleasantdale and Indian Trail roads and the ramp from I-85 southbound to 17th, 14th and 10th streets in Midtown.
On Sunday, over 70 streets will be closed or partially blocked for the Publix Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon, which begins at 7 a.m. at Centennial Olympic Park.
The marathon's route takes runners through numerous neighborhoods between downtown and the Decatur Square and back to the finish line in Centennial Olympic Park. Detailed information on road closures can be found at the marathon website. The affected roads should be reopened by around 2 p.m. on Sunday.
MARTA will begin rail service at 5:15 a.m. on Sunday to accommodate race participants.
Other events that could jam streets in downtown Atlanta this weekend include the marathon’s Health and Fitness Expo on Friday and Saturday at the Georgia Dome, Hawks games on Friday night and Sunday afternoon at Philips Arena and Saturday night’s Gospel Comedy Tour event featuring Kirk Franklin and Steve Harvey at Philips Arena.
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