traffic on 400--need help (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: house, living, internship)

[dt85]

Hi,

I'm not familiar with what the morning and after work commute is like on 400. I know it's got a reputation to be really bad.

What is it like if living just north if I-285 off of 400 and driving south on 400 in the morning around 7:45 AM ? Then driving north from I-85 to 400 N around 5/5:30 PM?

Thanks.

[spacelord75]

It gets pretty bad by 7:30am...I try to leave the house no later than 7am to ensure I'm not screwed getting onto 85 (that is the main bottleneck). In the afternoons, your best bet is to exit at Glenridge and take backroads to wherever you are going.

[gumboula]

I get on 400 at 285 I typically don't have much of a problem leaving the house at 8:15. Almost always a 30 minute drive to downtown door-to-door (from just ITP off Ashford Dunwoody to near Grady downtown). The most bottle neck is merging onto 85 from 400. I am able to use the HOV lane downtown though. The reverse is about the same. But it seems the closer to 5:00 the better. The connector is area that is jammed up then. But again, I use the HOV lane most days so maybe another 10 minutes if you are in the regular lanes. I almost always get off on Glenridge in the afternoons though. Right as I get off I almost always see breaklights starting in front of me. A fair amount of that may be related to the new exit they are constructing though.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by gumboula

I get on 400 at 285 I typically don't have much of a problem leaving the house at 8:15. Almost always a 30 minute drive to downtown door-to-door (from just ITP off Ashford Dunwoody to near Grady downtown). The most bottle neck is merging onto 85 from 400. I am able to use the HOV lane downtown though. The reverse is about the same. But it seems the closer to 5:00 the better. The connector is area that is jammed up then. But again, I use the HOV lane most days so maybe another 10 minutes if you are in the regular lanes. I almost always get off on Glenridge in the afternoons though. Right as I get off I almost always see breaklights starting in front of me. A fair amount of that may be related to the new exit they are constructing though.

But the OP needs to be warned... that corridor clearly is much much worse north of I-285 compared to South of I-285. The further north on Ga 400 you go, the worse and longer the commute will be.

[jsimms3]

Traffic ITP on 400 is almost never bad. I have seen it completely stopped on only a few occasions when there has been a wreck. In fact, the other day as I was leaving Buckhead right at rush hour (~5:30-5:45) to get to Midtown, traffic was backed up maybe 5-10 minutes more tops and the reason was a truck that exploded on the side of the road. Even with several lanes closed right at the 400/85 merger during rush hour traffic was not terrible.

Over the summer I had an internship in Sandy Springs, so I used the Abernathy exit morning and afternoon. Traffic is slow but moving from Abernathy to 285 (about 1 mile), free and clear past Buckhead, and then slow for a mile or two approaching 85 (that's the afternoon...morning is not as bad as afternoon, but can be backed up on 400 N approaching 285).

You'll be fine and will be looking at a 30-40 minute commute tops either way (which is great compared to millions in the Atlanta area).

[dt85]

Thanks this is very helpful!

[RandyWatson13]

No avoiding traffic so get a nice car and enjoy your time in it.