The Traffic South of Atlanta

carnation · #1 04-03-2007, 05:43 PM

Last weekend we traveled to Georgia Southern University and traffic flowed well until we got south of the airport. It didn't let up for 2 hours--we crawled. Same thing happened when we were returning and it was miserable! So were we!

And there weren't any wrecks or construction either! I don't get it but it happens every time we go south of Atlanta! Does anyone know why this happens or what time of day you can go to avoid this?

shinerbock · #2 04-03-2007, 07:11 PM

Avoid it? Don't you live in Atlanta? There is no avoiding it.

The commute from Newnan (85 south of the split) to Buckhead was recently ranked by someone to be the worst in the country. Every time I drive from Athens to Auburn its terrible, because you finally get through all the mess downtown, only to get stuck again around Coweta.

ZTAngel · #3 04-03-2007, 07:58 PM

The Jonesboro area is the worst. I went through there when I drove from Atlanta to Orlando. I sat there in that mess for over an hour. It wasn't even rush hour!

I have some co-workers who live in Newnan, Carrollton and Jonesboro and travel to work in Midtown. I don't know how they do that commute everyday. It's terrible.

UGAalum94 · #4 04-03-2007, 08:24 PM

As bad at 85 is, I've heard that 75 south is even worse, and I suspect that's what Carnation was on.

I think that there's ongoing, poorly planned road work, especially on 285. So I think what happens sometimes it that people work really hard to avoid certain parts, and it makes things much harder in the sections where they have to merge back in to get on 75 after having driven around on local roads. Additionally, there's been crazy growth in Henry County, so things may get backed up on the entrance and exits ramps.

Carnation, you weren't there the weekend of Atlanta NASCAR race, which was March 18th, were you? (I don't mean actually at the race; I mean the day you were driving through.) Traffic related to that event is apparently so bad that some people who kind of like NASCAR won't go to the race because it means four or five hourse of traffic on race day even though it's close.

shinerbock · #5 04-03-2007, 08:31 PM

My neighborhood is off highway 92, which is a major road to get to AMS, we generally either go to the race or stay at home all day.

jubilance1922 · #6 04-04-2007, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZTAngel

The Jonesboro area is the worst. I went through there when I drove from Atlanta to Orlando. I sat there in that mess for over an hour. It wasn't even rush hour!

I have some co-workers who live in Newnan, Carrollton and Jonesboro and travel to work in Midtown. I don't know how they do that commute everyday. It's terrible.

Ok, I had the exact same experience last weekend (driving from Orlando to Atlanta). I went 30 miles in an hour, and there was NO ACCIDENT!

It was horrible, and I still haven't figured out why the traffic is so bad down there.

shinerbock · #7 04-04-2007, 08:32 PM

Marta isn't only trashy, its flat out inconvenient. Atlanta isn't exactly a walkable city unless you like getting mugged, so few people are generally willing to use it to commute.

ZTAngel · #8 04-04-2007, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Marta isn't only trashy, its flat out inconvenient. Atlanta isn't exactly a walkable city unless you like getting mugged, so few people are generally willing to use it to commute.

Plus the city was not laid out well for walking. Atlanta city blocks aren't like New York city blocks. Blocks in Atlanta are much longer and the sidewalks are very narrow and close to the road. I once walked from 13th Street to 5th Street thinking that it wouldn't be that bad. I've walked further than that in NYC and London and it wasn't a problem. It ended up taking an hour to get to 5th Street and I thought I was going to get killed by the crazy drivers who were zooming by me on Peachtree.

NUBlue&Blue · #9 04-05-2007, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jubilance1922

Ok, I had the exact same experience last weekend (driving from Orlando to Atlanta). I went 30 miles in an hour, and there was NO ACCIDENT!

It was horrible, and I still haven't figured out why the traffic is so bad down there.

Spring break doesn't help, but that stretch is awful most anytime. We were stuck there on the way back from Savannah one time for hours. And I have a friend whose daughter actually missed her own bridal shower in her future husband's hometown because they could not get through there.

If we were anywhere else in the world there would be a high speed train to take us through there down to Savannah, St. Simon's or Florida.

I've lived here for 25 years and I've only been on MARTA twice.

DSTRen13 · #10 04-03-2007, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carnation

Last weekend we traveled to Georgia Southern University and traffic flowed well until we got south of the airport. It didn't let up for 2 hours--we crawled. Same thing happened when we were returning and it was miserable! So were we!

And there weren't any wrecks or construction either! I don't get it but it happens every time we go south of Atlanta! Does anyone know why this happens or what time of day you can go to avoid this?

It's Spring Break season. It's extra bad now. Also, like Alphagamuga said, if it is race weekend, STAY AWAY.

The general rules, IMO:
The best times are the middle of the night any day, 10-11AM and 1-2:30PM on M-Th, and in the mornings on Saturday and Sunday assuming that there are no major events going on. The absolute worst times are 7-9AM and 3-7PM weekdays (on Fridays, that'll be 2-7PM in the afternoon). Just don't do those times if you can help it.

shinerbock · #11 04-04-2007, 12:20 AM

The only good thing about trying to get a job in biglaw in ATL is that I'll never get off early enough to get stuck during rush hour(s).

DSTRen13 · #12 04-04-2007, 07:44 AM

Personally, I'm just not a commuting person. It's a waste of 2-3 (or more!) hours of your life everyday, if you live in Atlanta. Yuck. Just live in the city if you work in the city. If you live in the suburbs, get a job there or telecommute. I know this isn't practical in every area, but in the Atlanta area, there are places to live in a variety of price ranges in the city and out. (And even if you have a job downtown and prefer the country, when do you get to see the country if you have to leave so early and get home so late? Just live in town and take weekend trips out or something ...) JMO.

shinerbock · #13 04-04-2007, 09:58 AM

I agree the better option would be to live downtown. Unfortunately I can't afford to live in N. Fulton yet, and I don't want to blow a lot of money on rent.

DSTRen13 · #14 04-04-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerbock

I agree the better option would be to live downtown. Unfortunately I can't afford to live in N. Fulton yet, and I don't want to blow a lot of money on rent.

Have you thought about buying a condo property near Georgia State or GT? After you move out to N. Fulton, you can rent your place out to college students for years to come. (I think I have been influenced by working with too many aspiring real estate tycoons, lol.)

carnation · #15 04-04-2007, 10:00 AM

We have to go to Valdosta next weekend and to Florida in June. Let me tell you that we'll be planning our departure times carefully...Mr. Carnation's cousins live just south of Atlanta and I don't know how they function with traffic like that. DSTRen, we'll take your advice on the slow times!