There’s plenty to do this weekend in the way of festivals.
But drivers beware: There’s plenty to do this weekend in the way of festivals.
More than 85,000 people are expected to attend the 80th Annual Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park this weekend, Atlanta police said.
That means drivers can expect heavy delays and may want to consider opting out of traffic all together and taking MARTA.
Between Williams and Spring streets, police will close 8th Street to traffic. Visitors should only park in permitted lots to avoid parking citations.
The Dogwood Festival lasts from Friday to Sunday. And don't forget the Atlanta Film Festival is still running through Sunday. And for a bit of competition, the One Up national cheerleading championship will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Here’s everything you need to know about traffic, events and weather before you head out:
Expect traffic delays
The Georgia Department of Transportation on Friday will begin resurfacing a 15-mile stretch of eastbound and westbound I-20 between Sweetwater Creek and Hill Street [between exits 44 and 56B]. The project is expected to be complete by December.
Motorists should expect multiple lane closures on the weekends.
Other weekend roadwork:
The southbound on-ramp on I-75 will close from Delk Road and require a detour from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Sunday. Southbound traffic will be directed to take the I-75 northbound ramp to South Marietta Parkway [exit 263] and keep left to take the 120 westbound loop [Marietta/KSU Marietta] onto South Marietta Parkway. Traffic will then be directed to turn left to enter southbound I-75 via the ramp from South Marietta Parkway.
One westbound lane on I-285 will close between the I-75 interchange and Riverside Drive from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.
Two northbound lanes on I-75 will close between Windy Hill Road and Delk Road from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.
One lane on the I-75 southbound on-ramp to North Marietta Parkway will close from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.
One southbound lane on I-75 will close between Wade Green Road and Chastain Road from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.
One northbound lane on I-575 will close between Alabama Road and Ridgewalk Parkway from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Sunday.
One southbound lane on I-575 will close between Bells Ferry Road and Chastain Road from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Sunday.
One southbound lane on I-575 will close between Chastain Road and Barrett Parkway from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.
One northbound lane on I-575 will close between Bells Ferry Road and Alabama Road from 9 p.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday.
One southbound lane and the shoulder on I-675 will close between Stockbridge Road and the I-75 interchange from 9 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Monday.
One southbound lane and the shoulder on I-75 will close between Mt. Zion Boulevard and Lake Spivey Parkway daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
One southbound lane and the shoulder on I-75 will close between the I-675 interchange and Hudson Bridge Road from 9 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday, from 9 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday and from 9 p.m. Sunday to 7 a.m. Monday.
Three southbound lanes on I-75 will close between Barrett Parkway and Ga. 5.
Two lanes will close on the I-75 southbound ramp to I-285 from 9 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday
Crews will begin paving I-20 ramps starting at Windsor Street from 9 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday.
» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @ajcwsbtraffic on Twitter.
Patchy frost in metro Atlanta
Another cold front sweeps through metro Atlanta Friday and will send temperatures near the freezing mark.
Temperatures will drop into the low 40s Saturday and the upper 30s Sunday in the metro area and bring patchy frost to some areas.
Temperatures will only reach highs of 60 degrees Saturday and 65 degrees Sunday.
Outside of metro Atlanta, Rabun County is part of a freeze warning that goes into effect Friday night and expires Saturday morning. Mountain counties will be under a freeze watch from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday.
» Check the full forecast and track changes
Dogwood, Hawks and Braves this weekend
Despite chilly temps, thousands of people plan to flood Midtown for the Dogwood Festival.
Events will take place from noon to 10 p.m. Friday, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The artist market closes at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The best time to head to the festival is before noon Friday or, if need be, at opening Saturday and Sunday.
Read more about how to survive the crowd here.
For sporting breaks between festivals, the Braves take on the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:35 p.m. Friday, 7:10 p.m. Saturday and 1:35 p.m. Sunday at Turner Field.
And the Hawks play the Celtics at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Philips Arena.
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