The Traffic South of Atlanta

ZTAngel · #1 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 · #2 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 · #3 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 · #4 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 · #5 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 · #6 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 · #7 04-05-2007, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZTAngel

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.

That is so funny, last year my son was a page at the legislature and I went down to pick him up. By the time I had to get him, there was no parking left at the underground lot, so I had to find a lot a few blocks away. On our way back, we walked down two blocks of Peachtree that were downright scary. I pushed through like walking in NYC/Paris/Rome, etc. where you have people walking up to you trying to sell you crap, but my son didn't say a word until we got out of there and he said....."well, that was interesting".

Midtown....I don't mind walking around. Downtown...not so much.

shinerbock · #8 04-05-2007, 12:59 PM

I've walked all over downtown at one time or another (usually drunk), and although I've come through unscathed, I wouldn't recommend it.

NUBlue&Blue · #9 04-05-2007, 01:15 PM

When I was 23 I went downtown for a job interview. I had no money on me, no ATM card, no way to get my car out of the parking lot....no cell phones back in the olden days....and no way to get in touch with my fiance and roommate, who were both out of town.

When I think back on that, I just have to wonder what I was thinking. I wasn't even drunk.

NUBlue&Blue · #10 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.