One of the biggest travel weekends of the year is here and the Georgia Department of Transportation is sharing what it is expecting to be the best and worst times to travel this Fourth of July.

GDOT officials said you should plan your trips ahead, as heavy traffic is expected in certain areas, especially in and around metro Atlanta interstates and major interstates outside of the city. Traffic is expected to be the heaviest today, starting around noon and lasting until 8 PM.  Officials say if you are traveling at this time, anticipate adding at least 30 minutes to your total travel time.

GDOT listed specific interstates and how they are likely to be impacted. GDOT based these predictions on travel data from 2019, 2021, and 2022.

• I-20: Eastbound congestion is expected when entering metro Atlanta, while westbound congestion is predicted when exiting the city towards Alabama.
• I-75: Heavy congestion is anticipated in both southbound and northbound directions coming out of Atlanta in Stockbridge causing congestion on I-675 as well.
• I-24: Eastbound congestion is expected in Northwest Georgia near Chattanooga.
• I-59: Northbound congestion is projected when entering Tennessee, and southbound congestion is anticipated when entering Georgia.
• I-475: Congestion is anticipated in both northbound and southbound directions in Macon.
• I-16: Westbound congestion is expected when exiting Savannah, and eastbound congestion is predicted when entering Savannah.

In addition to delays due to road trip travel, the GDOT reminded drivers that several different holiday-themed events may cause an increase in traffic and even create some possible road closures.