With dry weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday, motorists can expect to encounter a plethora of road construction projects around metro Atlanta this weekend.
Here’s what you need to know to avoid the traffic jams:
Cobb County, I-285 and I-20 are the hot spots
Work on the new Georgia Express Lanes on I-75 and I-575 will disrupt traffic in several spots, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Various northbound and southbound lane closures will take place on I-75 at the Hickory Grove Road bridge from 9 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Sunday for bridge demolition.
On I-575, one northbound lane will be closed from Barrett Parkway to Chastain Road from 9 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Saturday.
One lane of the ramp from I-285 westbound to Cobb Parkway will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday.
Other projects include sign structure work that will shut down two northbound lanes of I-285 from Camp Creek Parkway to Langford Parkway and one southbound lane of the Perimeter from Cascade Road to I-20 throughout the weekend.
Also on I-285, two northbound lanes will be closed between I-20 and Bolton Road, while two southbound lanes will be closed between South Atlanta Road and Bolton Road all weekend for concrete rehabilitation.
On the top-end Perimeter, one southbound and two northbound lanes of I-285 will close between Lavista Road and Buford Highway from 7:30 p.m. Friday through 7:30 a.m. Sunday for sign structure work.
Bridge joint repairs on I-20 will shut down three eastbound and two westbound lanes between Langhorn and McDaniel streets and two westbound lanes from I-285 to Fulton Industrial Boulevard all weekend.
In Gwinnett County, the Jimmy Carter Boulevard bridge over I-85 will be closed all weekend while contractors work on the diverging diamond interchange.
»Click here for updated traffic information from the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center
Cool, dry days and cold nights on tap for weekend
Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said Saturday will be partly cloudy, with a morning low of 34 and an afternoon high of 52. Sunday will be mostly sunny with a low of 32 and a high of 60, Monahan said.
The National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch for all of metro Atlanta for Saturday night into Sunday morning, when subfreezing temperatures could damage tender vegetation.
A freeze warning is in effect early Saturday for the northwest corner of the state, from Bartow County northward.
Atlanta’s normal high for late March is 68, and the normal low is 47.
»Check the full forecast and track changes
Auto Show tops weekend events
The Atlanta International Auto Show continues through Sunday at the Georgia World Congress Center. Also at the convention hall, the annual Hinman Dental Meeting wraps up on Saturday.
Next door to the Congress Center, the Hawks play Miami Friday night at Philips Arena, while in the same part of downtown, Centennial Olympic Park on Saturday hosts the Atlanta Science Festival.
In other events, Baconfest 2015 will be held Saturday at the Masquerade Music Park on North Avenue, and the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival runs through Sunday at Blackburn Park on Ashford Dunwoody Road.
