Downtown and Midtown Atlanta will be busy places this weekend with a big Christmas parade and football game on Saturday, a Hawks game on Sunday and cheerleading championships both days at the Georgia World Congress Center. And while most of those events are indoors, there’s a chance that a little rain could fall on the parade.
Here’s what you need to know to navigate the busy holiday weekend.
Weekend roadwork resumes
After a Thanksgiving weekend respite, the Georgia Department of Transportation has scheduled several road projects on metro Atlanta interstates.
Bridge joint replacement will require closing one lane of I-20 in each direction between Six Flags Parkway and I-285, beginning at 9 p.m. Friday and continuing through 5 a.m. Monday.
Similar bridge work will close two westbound lanes of I-20 from Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard to Lawton Street during those same hours.
Work on overhead sign structures will shut down two northbound lanes and one southbound lane of I-285 between Glenwood Road and Covington Highway from 9 p.m. Friday through 9 p.m. Saturday.
Sign work on the southwest side of the Perimeter will shut down two southbound lanes of I-285 between Washington Road and I-85 all weekend.
In Newton County, bridge repairs will shut down the entrance and exit ramps on I-20 westbound at Ga. 12 throughout the weekend. Click here for updated traffic information throughout the weekend.
Rain chances increase Saturday
All of the above roadwork is weather-permitting, and a slight chance of rain on Friday will become a good chance by Saturday.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Karen Minton said the chance of rain is 20 percent Friday, increasing to 60 percent Saturday before making way for sunny skies on Sunday.
Highs will be in the mid-60s Friday and Saturday and around 60 degrees Sunday, with morning lows in the mid-50s Saturday and mid-40s Sunday. Click here for the full weekend weather forecast and to track changes.
Parade, SEC title game highlight weekend events
The annual Children’s Christmas Parade benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta steps off at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Peachtree and 16th streets, and marches south on Peachtree Street to 5th Street. If you can’t make it to the parade in person, it will be telecast live on Channel 2.
Later Saturday, the Georgia Dome hosts the SEC Football Championship game between Alabama and Missouri, with kickoff set for 4 p.m.
In other downtown events, the Hawks play the Denver Nuggets at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Philips Arena, and the Cheersport Grand Championships will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Georgia World Congress Center.
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