Roswell-area commuters who use I-285's west side won't face a full interstate shutdown this weekend after all.
The Georgia Department of Transportation announced Tuesday, July 21, that it postponed a planned closure of I-285 in Cobb and Fulton counties because of forecasts calling for inclement weather. GDOT has not set a new date.
The closure would have shut down all northbound and southbound lanes between South Atlanta Road (Exit 16) and Paces Ferry Road (Exit 18) from 7 p.m. Friday, July 24, through 5 a.m. Monday, July 27.
What's being built
The work is part of the I-285 Westside Rebuild, a $155 million project to reconstruct deteriorating concrete pavement along the corridor between Collier Drive in Fulton County and Paces Ferry Road in Cobb County. Crews are also replacing roadway shoulders, the concrete median, guardrails and signage.
Full closures allow crews to safely operate heavy equipment across all lanes while protecting motorists in the work zone, according to GDOT.
The segment of I-285 being rebuilt was originally constructed in the 1960s, with the final piece opening to traffic in October 1969. It was designed for a 40-year lifespan, according to the AASHTO Journal. The corridor now carries an average of 194,000 vehicles daily, with trucks accounting for 18 percent of that total, according to GDOT figures.
Bigger picture
The $155 million segment is one piece of a broader I-285 Westside Corridor reconstruction. GDOT awarded two contracts totaling $370 million in late 2025 to cover three coordinated segments stretching roughly 17 miles from State Route 14 (Langford Parkway) in Fulton County to Paces Ferry Road in Cobb County, according to the AASHTO Journal in March 2026.
GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry said in March 2026 that "the west side of I-285 serves as a critical artery for metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia."
GDOT projects completion of the specific segment affected by the postponed closure in fall 2028. The broader three-segment corridor project has an anticipated completion of spring 2029.
What's next
GDOT said it will announce new closure dates in advance once they are scheduled. Residents can monitor updates at 511ga.org or dot.ga.gov.
