Halloween traffic peaks Friday, Sunday

Georgia Department of Transportation officials forecast heavy traffic across metro Atlanta from noon to 8 p.m. on Friday, October 30, and Saturday, October 31. Drivers should allow an additional 30 to 45 minutes for trips during these peak hours.

The congestion stems from Halloween festivities and the end of Daylight Saving Time. Clocks turn back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1. This shift reduces available sunlight and alters light conditions during key driving periods. Data from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety indicates that more than 80 percent of pedestrian fatalities occur during low-light or overnight hours. Nearly 95 percent of these fatalities occur outside of designated crosswalks.

Specific surface street conditions vary by location. Northside Drive and Cobb Parkway will see heavy traffic from 2 to 4 p.m. before normalizing by 5 p.m. Peachtree Parkway will remain congested from 2 to 5 p.m. Roswell Road will experience heavy traffic between 3 and 5 p.m. Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Holcomb Bridge Road will be heavy from 2 to 3 p.m. Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway and Veterans Memorial Highway will see heavy traffic from 2 to 6 p.m.

Traffic on Northside Drive and Metropolitan Parkway is expected to improve gradually from 2 to 8 p.m. Motorists should note that Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena may cause heavier volume on this corridor. Ponce de Leon Avenue will see improving traffic from 2 to 4 p.m. and again from 5 to 9 p.m. Moreland Avenue and Memorial Drive will show improving conditions throughout the afternoon. Tara Boulevard will be normal until 6 p.m., when traffic becomes heavy until 9 p.m.

Interstate congestion is expected in the late afternoon on Wednesday, October 28, and Thursday, October 29, between 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday, November 1, is forecast to have light traffic throughout the day. Construction activity will continue at many locations statewide, potentially involving temporary lane closures. Drivers should follow posted signage in work zones.

Georgia DOT lists several events driving weekend volume. These include Fright Fest at Six Flags Over Georgia and the Pumpkin Festival at Stone Mountain Park. Other events include Haunted Seas at the Georgia Aquarium and the Scarecrows in the Garden Exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Additional traffic drivers include The Netherworld at Stone Mountain, Fear Fest in Underground Atlanta, and The Great Fall Festival at The Battery.

Local festivities also impact traffic. The Children’s Museum of Atlanta hosts a trick or treat event. The Center for Puppetry Arts features The Ghastly Dreadfuls. Little 5 Points holds its Halloween Festival and Parade. Historic Fourth Ward Park hosts the Spookwood Festival. Georgia DOT urges drivers to reduce speed in residential areas and yield to pedestrians, even when they are not in crosswalks.

Pedestrians are advised to use flashlights and reflective tape in costumes. Children under age 13 should be supervised by an adult. Drivers and walkers are urged to use the 511GA app to plan routes and check for incidents. The service is available 24 hours a day. For more information, visit the Georgia DOT website.