By Larry Hartstein

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

If you're coming downtown to ring out the Aughts, you ought to take MARTA.

Because Atlanta's city center is preparing for a crowd Thursday in the hundreds of thousands.

These and other events will make traffic a challenge, to say the least:

* The midnight Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta.

* The 7:30 p.m. Chick-fil-A Bowl at the Georgia Dome, preceded by a FanFest at the Georgia World Congress Center.

* A 12:30 p.m. Chick-fil-A Bowl parade downtown.

* Widespread Panic concert at Philips Arena at 9 p.m.

* Band of Horses at the Tabernacle at 10 p.m.

* Ice skating at Centennial Park from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Atlanta police will provide extra officers for security and traffic control around Underground Atlanta, the Georgia Dome, the Georgia World Congress Center and Philips Arena and throughout the hotel and retail districts.

Street closings for the Peach Drop will begin at 4:30 p.m. Bag checks will start at 5 p.m. and will be conducted at all entrances. You may not bring bags, backpacks or coolers into Underground Atlanta.

Police advise revelers to use the Peachtree Center or Five Points MARTA stations to get to the Peach Drop.

In addition, the Chick-fil-A Bowl Parade will close these downtown streets from noon to 2:30 p.m.: West Peachtree from Pine to Peachtree; Peachtree from Ralph McGill Boulevard to Ellis; Ralph McGill from Peachtree to West Peachtree; International Boulevard from Peachtree Center to Centennial Olympic Park Drive; Centennial Olympic Park Drive from Harris to International; and Marietta Street from Jones Avenue to Centennial Olympic Park Drive.