Help! I have always been very nervous driving in traffic. Can someone advise me as to how to get to Atlanta from South Carolina (Bluffton) - I need to be in the Morningside area of Atlanta. Is there some way I can avoid the horrible traffic as I get closer to Atlanta? I don’t mind 95 for the first 200 miles but it’s the last 50 or so that scares me.
Just to clarify, you are okay with interstates until hitting the metro Atlanta area?
You will barely be on I-95. You will travel I-16 to I-75 or alternately US301 to I-20.
I can suggest some alternate routes once you clarify. I also strongly suggest timing your arrival outside of high traffic times (3pm-7pm in general most days) since you are not comfortable with the Atlanta traffic. If you have that flexibility the interstates may be fine for you.
What @DramaMama2021 says …
Plan to arrive in Atlanta off time and use your nav on your phone or waze.
When it shows less minutes than miles, start your engines !!!
Taking side streets in Atlanta is a nightmare. From HILTON head area you won’t encounter any traffic (unless construction or an accident) til u near the southern part of Atlanta…at least not in the 20+ times I’ve made the drive.
Good luck.
Take I-20 to Morningside and be aware of arrival time.
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Ugh, I don’t know that there’s a way to avoid what most people consider traffic. People from Atlanta may recommend a route with less traffic, but it’s still gawd-awful for most of us. We followed Waze’s suggestions the last time we went Augusta to Atlanta, and I don’t want to know what the more-traffic routes were like! That was on a Saturday mid-morning. We considered ourselves fortunate to leave the worst of it behind when we headed north of town to Cumming.
I went to Atlanta from NC twice this year. It’s pretty terrible traffic. Without knowing exactly where you’re going looking at your options I’d take I-20 to Highway 23/Moreland Ave and go up that way. It takes a little longer, but avoids going downtown and all the craziness there.
I much preferred the side streets last time I was there in May over the interstates. We were going in two different directions once we got to Atlanta and after dropping off my husband my D22 and I went from NE Atlanta over to Decatur on side streets (made Google Maps reroute several times since it wanted to put me back on the interstate). 85 is terrible!
Yes, I am fine with interstates until I hit metro Atlanta. I panic when there are 6 lanes and everyone is merging and exiting and nobody lets you in.
Can you tell me where to pick up route 20?
I live in Atlanta and have a vacay home on HHI. Coming up 75 most anytime of day when going through downtown is a nightmare. I-20 is almost always a decent ride and you will be coming against traffic unless you leave at some crazy hour in the morning. Most of the people from south of the airport have limited driving ability and you can almost always count on a significant traffic delay somewhere in there for no apparent reason. The mileage is almost exactly the same and I would bet you make a better time on 20. Any chance you will have multiple people or have a PeachPass or equivalent? We have an expressway that alternates direction depending on time of day that can make a huge difference as well as some HOV lanes as you get closer to downtown.
Take 16 to 75 to 675 to Moreland Ave. That should do it.
I recommend taking the US301/I-20 route. I-75 south of Atlanta can be a mess at any time of the day so coming in on I-20 is a safer bet.
Do you use Waze or a similar app? If so, that can help you determine whether it’s better to get off I-20 at Moreland and take secondary streets to Morningside or to drive through downtown on 75/85 and exit closer to Morningside.
Feel free to PM me if you have more detailed questions.
I am terrible at maps. And yes, there will be two of us. My question is - HOW do I get on 20? What route from HH and then turn offs? Thank you so much.
I’ll PM you a route. The main roads will be US301 to I-20.
Looking at Google Maps it looks like it wants to take you through (or around) Augusta to get to I-20. I would definitely do this instead of messing with I-75 if it was me.
Do you have apple or google car play ? There’s two of you. Put it on your car or have the other guide you. Go at a time when it shows less minutes than miles. Going through Augusta is out of the way. I’ve driven through downtown Atlanta many times with little traffic.
When you go will be more important than how you go. If you arrive in Atlanta at off hours, it’s a breeze and then nav will tell you what lane to be in when the 75/85 merge/unmerge. If anything you can grab I20 in Atlanta and head east vs in Augusta. This way you miss some of the ‘scary’ stuff in Atlanta.
With nav or waze, you’ve got this.
Sure you can go off the grid from Bluffton to Augusta, but why would you? It just adds more time that is not inconsequential.
This is why I would want to avoid downtown Atlanta. Went in early June and left town around 10:30am and it was terrible.
I’d be curious when? I’ve driven through Atlanta at various times including late at night (from the airport), and it’s always a terrible traffic mess.
Plus, I’m not exactly excited about having to drive through a metro area in the middle of the night if that is the only way to avoid traffic.
I sympathize with the OP. I would drive a great distance and time to avoid driving on the DC Beltway. I know that’s worse than Atlanta, but the point is…if you hate highway driving, you are looking for a way OFF the highway!
Atlanta folks…please help this driver be off the highway as much as possible.
Many a time. If I had to guess probably mostly 1-3p because I’d leave Nashville 8-9a ish.
At night for sure - it’s typically a breeze…say after 8p.
I could see how the 75/85 thing would confuse people. But the nav will guide one seamlessly including lane assignments.
In my experience (and I’m there monthly), getting to the freeway in Atlanta (ie the side streets) is much worse than the freeways themselves. It could take 20 minutes to drive a mile just getting to the freeway.
Someone can avoid by going alternative ways…whatever works for them.
Ok I hope the OP has a fine trip.
This poster does not want to be on the freeway. They want a way around having to do that. Folks living in Atlanta probably can help.
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I understand this. I’m simply saying, that often in Atlanta, the side roads are worse.
The op can do whatever they want…as long as they have the additional time it’s going to take them.
Edit - one more thought. Why not pick up 285 north b4 u get into the craziness, coming up i75. Then u miss downtown.