Summer Travel Guide: What Dade County Drivers Should Know Before Hitting The Road

For Dade County families planning trips later this summer, the July 4 holiday rush may be over, but the travel season is not.

Local drivers still have several things to keep in mind before leaving home, including the Slygo Road bridge closure, Chattanooga-area interstate work, changing gas prices and the usual summer safety concerns that come with longer drives.

While the holiday weekend has passed, the same basic advice still applies for the rest of the summer: check the route before leaving, build in extra time and do not assume the usual road will be clear.

That matters for local drivers heading toward Atlanta, Chattanooga, Knoxville, the Gulf Coast or the mountains, where even a short delay near home can turn into a longer delay farther down the interstate.

One of the most local travel issues is the Slygo Road bridge over I-24.

The Georgia Department of Transportation closed the bridge beginning Feb. 23 as part of a bridge replacement project. The closure was expected to last up to 270 days, or about nine months, weather permitting.

The bridge sits near the I-24 and I-59 split in the Wildwood area. Drivers who normally use Slygo Road to cross I-24 have to follow the posted detour using Slygo Road, Morganville Ridge Road, State Route 58 and State Route 299.

GDOT officials have said the project is intended to improve safety and reliability once the bridge is replaced. In a February interview with WDEF, GDOT spokesman Joe Schulman said the old bridge had reached the point where replacement made more sense than continued repair.

“We replace bridges when the repairs are no longer the best way to bring a bridge up to the latest safety code,” Schulman said.

The bridge was built in 1966, and GDOT said it had shown signs of deterioration, including cracks and corrosion in the beams.

Drivers using the detour should build in extra time, especially during morning and afternoon travel peaks, weekend traffic and weather.

Drivers headed toward Chattanooga, Hamilton Place or I-75 should also keep an eye on Tennessee road work.

TDOT’s June roadway activity report for the Lower East and Upper Cumberland region said no interstate ramp or lane closures were scheduled at the I-75/I-24 interchange during that weekly reporting period, but contractors could still use short rolling roadblocks for pothole patching, debris removal, guardrail work and other maintenance.

Another work zone that could affect Dade County travelers is the I-75 work near Hamilton Place. TDOT announced earlier this year that I-75 South would be reduced from four lanes to three between Exit 7 at Bonny Oaks Drive and Exit 5 at Shallowford Road for approximately eight months as crews work on the new Shallowford Road exit ramp.

TDOT advised drivers to expect delays, especially during peak travel times, and to plan ahead before traveling through the work zone.

For anyone heading through Tennessee, TDOT recommends checking SmartWay or dialing 511 before leaving. Georgia drivers can also check 511GA, which provides real-time traffic conditions, construction alerts, crash information and weather-related travel alerts.

Gas prices are another piece of the summer travel picture.

As of June 24, AAA listed the Georgia average for regular gasoline at $3.633 per gallon. The Catoosa-Dade-Walker market was lower, at $3.473 per gallon. Chattanooga was lower still, at $3.339 per gallon.

That means Dade County drivers may find some of the cheaper gas in the region close to home or just across the Tennessee line, though prices change daily.

AAA has said higher gas prices have not stopped families from traveling by car. The organization noted that road trips can still be cheaper than buying plane tickets, especially for families with children.

Not every summer trip has to involve a long drive.

Cloudland Canyon State Park remains one of the easiest options for Dade County families. The park is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a parking fee required. Georgia State Parks lists the daily ParkPass at $10 per vehicle.

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park is another nearby option. The National Park Service says all units are open for visitation during daylight hours, with the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center and Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Little River Canyon National Preserve in Alabama offers overlooks, trails, waterfalls and picnic areas. The National Park Service says scenic areas are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Canyon Mouth Park is open during summer from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time, with a $15 day-use pass per vehicle.

For a more tourist-style trip, Rock City lists summer hours of 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. through Aug. 9, with last entry 45 minutes before closing.

The Georgia Department of Public Safety urged motorists to make safety the priority during the Independence Day travel period, with troopers and officers focusing on unsafe driving behaviors that can lead to serious crashes. That message applies beyond the holiday weekend as summer travel continues.

“Driving sober, staying alert, and obeying traffic laws are essential,” Georgia Department of Public Safety Commissioner William W. Hitchens III said in a recent holiday travel safety release.

The agency also reminds drivers to buckle up, avoid distractions, slow down, properly secure children and report aggressive or impaired drivers to 911 or *GSP.

AAA gives similar advice for summer travel, urging drivers to check their vehicles before a road trip. The organization said it responded to more than 687,000 roadside assistance calls during Independence Day week last year. About half required towing, and nearly 30 percent involved battery replacement or flat tires.

For Dade County travelers, the short version is this: check the car, check the route and leave earlier than normal.

A little planning before pulling out of the driveway may save a lot of sitting on the interstate later.