If you arrive in Atlanta around 11 am, both routes should be fine - rush hour is over, and the lunch hour hasn't yet started! The more direct route would be just to stay on I-85, come right through downtown, and hit I-20 west - easy and well-marked!

But you know, now that I think about it, (I live on the east side of Atlanta, so I always think about the east side of 285!), at that time of day it might be just as easy to take 285 west off of I-85, then hit I-20 west on the west side of Atlanta. I'm not around on that side much, so I tend to forget that 285 goes past Perimeter Mall! LOL!! Hope I haven't totally confused you! (I still think 285 might be more crowded than just going through downtown, though!!)

Check http://www.georgianavigator.com/ to get info before you leave to come through. Option 1 driving through ATL will be quicker if no big traffic (would be OK after 930 or so am, don't be driving South on I-85 into ATL before 930 or so to avoid rush hour traffic on a weekday) or no construction that closes road.

Right now they are doing occassional traffic pacing to put up power lines across road (weekends mostly). Without these problems, drive will be easy and faster.

Have additional advantage of seeing downtown Atlanta which is nice. You drive right through the middle. Right before you exit for I-20 look to right to see the gold dome of capitol building. Just appx. 20 years ago this dome was right at top of ATL skyline along with a restaraunt that looks like a flying saucer atop a downtown building. Now it is hidden underneath lots of skyscrapers.

The rush hour traffic I was talking about on I-85 South will be above I-285 (the Perimeter). The I-85/75 combo in downtown is called the connector. Listen to WSB 750 am in morning for traffic every 6 minutes. They jump around areas so keep listening.

I would go through the city and stay on 85, but unless there's a major traffic incident it won't make much of a difference. I just hate driving on 285 because all the tractor trailer trucks are required to use it to bypass the city.

Thank you for your great help. Based on your recommendations I'll stay on 85 through Atlanta.

Sorry, no time on this trip for visiting the downtown Atlanta. I did visit several times and now I am heading west for two months.

I agree with J about avoiding the truck traffic on 285 and because there's so much on-ramp/off-ramp traffic crossing through narrower lanes on 285. There's also the issue of making sure you're in the right (correct I mean!) lanes so that you stay on 285 instead of getting off on 75.

Through town on 85 to 20 is much easier.

I recently returned from our 2 month long trip and want to report I followed your recommendations and took I-85 through Atlanta to I-20. No problem and this time only accident was on the other side of the highway heading east. Driving through Atlanta around noon was OK but I can't understand so many drivers in GA don't signal when changing lanes

If you signal in Atlanta then the cars in the lane you're trying to get into will speed up and close the gap so you can't get in. I am guilty of not signaling sometimes, just because I need the element of surprise to be able to secure my intended spot.

You're supposed to signal when you change lanes?

:-P