Road Trip to Athens? (Sandy Springs, Dunwoody: extended stay, day care, construction)

[RoslynHolcomb]

I've got a job interview over in Athens at 9:00 Thursday morning. From what I can discern from Google it's pretty much a straight shot on 316. I'm assuming (perhaps erroneously, Google's burned me before) that the road is at least two lanes and in reasonably good shape. I'm hoping to leave here at seven and allow plenty enough time to be early for my interview. How bad is traffic heading that way? Anything I should be on the lookout for? Is there a better route that I'm overlooking?

Also, should I be offered this position I'll be a consultant covering a multi-county region from Gwinnett on over to Athens and probably a few more counties besides. Fortunately I'd only have to visit those other counties quarterly, but I'd probably have to schlepp over to Athens several times a week, and sometimes every day. How miserable is the trip? Or is it reasonably pleasant. I will be able to flex so I could perhaps set my schedule to avoid traffic. Anyone have any idea when traffic is at it's worst getting up 85 to 316? Thanks for any help you can give me.

[FromGA]

316 -- 2+ lanes each side. Most of the distance is 65mph (Gwinnett county after a point, Barrow county, Oconee county until a point). Rest is mostly 55 mph. Once you are past the Hwy 20 intersection (and especialy the Hwy 29 intersection) or so in Gwinnett, the traffic will be mild. Hwy 316 was built with traffic lights (to keep costs low), so drive with caution.

Should you get the job, you could use an Extended Stay in Athens for weeks when you have to go often (cost of driving will largely offset this cost).

Dont know about 285 and 85N traffic for your time of day.

Good luck!

[PKCorey]

RH, its a reverse commute, atleast from 85 onward. You will have to fight a bit of traffic on the top end heading over to 85 but after that, its pretty clear. No real stop and go. Now, on 316, you will have certain areas in Gwinnett coming and going that will have heavy traffic. It's a pretty busy road all hours of the day.

As FromGA said, its 4 lane parkway pretty much. It has heavy truck traffic though.

p.s. Watch out for Gwinnett County Police when you exit from 85 to 316, the speed drops and they wait at the end of the ramp to clock people.

Good Luck cause I've know you've been looking for a good amount of time.

[oakhurstlauren]

You can also take 78. I refuse to take 316 ever again, for some reason there is always some massive obstruction every time I have decided to go that way. Getting through Snellville at rush hour isn't fun either, but it's a straight shot to Athens. Also, from where I live it just doesn't make since to drive up 85 for no reason. It really just depends on where your origination point is.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Hwy 316 was built with traffic lights (to keep costs low), so drive with caution.

We have lots of highways like that in Alabama. Thanks for the heads up on the extended stay. That's a good idea.

Originally Posted by PKCorey

Good Luck cause I've know you've been looking for a good amount of time.

Thanks. I'm just annoyed that it took me two years to figure out the trick to getting a social work job in this area--don't apply in this area. Apparently competition is too stiff. You have to go out into the hinterlands. Oh well, I wouldn't have been able to do this before my son started school anyway. Day care costs would've simply eaten up my income.

It really just depends on where your origination point is.

Yeah, that's a good point. Coming from Dunwoody, 78 doesn't seem to work, but I'll look again. I was on the roads quite a bit this past summer and there seems to be construction EVERYWHERE. I guess it's stimulus money.

Thanks you guys for the great ideas. I know I can always count on City Data.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

We have lots of highways like that in Alabama. Thanks for the heads up on the extended stay. That's a good idea.



Thanks. I'm just annoyed that it took me two years to figure out the trick to getting a social work job in this area--don't apply in this area. Apparently competition is too stiff. You have to go out into the hinterlands. Oh well, I wouldn't have been able to do this before my son started school anyway. Day care costs would've simply eaten up my income.



Yeah, that's a good point. Coming from Dunwoody, 78 doesn't seem to work, but I'll look again. I was on the roads quite a bit this past summer and there seems to be construction EVERYWHERE. I guess it's stimulus money.

Thanks you guys for the great ideas. I know I can always count on City Data.

Good Luck, Ros!

[beeebeee1]

316 is miserable. But, traffic won't be much of an issue for you going or coming back (unless it is after 3 pm). I live 20 min from Athens in Jefferson and use 85 and really really hate 316, however, on occasion, I must suck it up. Be prepared for lots of traffic lights initially and speed changes (those sneaky Oconee Sheriff's Office Deputies...tsk, tsk.)

Prior to moving work locations from Sandy Springs to Johns Creek, it was interstate all the way and took about 1:15 hrs. Still, the same for the most part but now it is mostly OFF the interstate which makes me very very happy. Good luck! My best friend is a MSW in one of the hospitals there and I know they have openings. Hope it goes your way!

[ericsonga]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

I've got a job interview over in Athens at 9:00 Thursday morning. From what I can discern from Google it's pretty much a straight shot on 316. I'm assuming (perhaps erroneously, Google's burned me before) that the road is at least two lanes and in reasonably good shape. I'm hoping to leave here at seven and allow plenty enough time to be early for my interview. How bad is traffic heading that way? Anything I should be on the lookout for? Is there a better route that I'm overlooking?

Also, should I be offered this position I'll be a consultant covering a multi-county region from Gwinnett on over to Athens and probably a few more counties besides. Fortunately I'd only have to visit those other counties quarterly, but I'd probably have to schlepp over to Athens several times a week, and sometimes every day. How miserable is the trip? Or is it reasonably pleasant. I will be able to flex so I could perhaps set my schedule to avoid traffic. Anyone have any idea when traffic is at it's worst getting up 85 to 316? Thanks for any help you can give me.

Good Luck on the interview!

Just a little FYI, 316 has incredibly bad traffic, both directions, everyday. As someone else noted, it eases up after the intersection with 29 east of Lawrenceville. The intersections for Collins Hill and Buford Dr. are notoriously bad. Hopefully one day we will have real interchanges along the route, but I'm not holding my breath.

[FromGA]

To my knowledge there is no real construction on 316 at this time.

There is an Extended Stay in Athens down S. Millege Avenue close to the Athens loop (I think it has a mini kitchen) etc. When I checked it out about 9 years back, it was OK. Nothing fancy about it for sure.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Thanks everybody for your help. My interview went well, I'm pretty sure I'll get an offer. Just as everyone said, traffic was bad, but got considerably better after Lawrenceville. Even so, I got there with thirty minutes to spare.