We take calls all the time in the WSB 24-Hour Traffic Center from people plain sick of backups. And rubbernecking delays indeed draw the worst ire. But one real stout backup last week did not draw those gripes and rightfully so.
Many followed the Thursday afternoon procession for Marine Lance Corporal Skip Wells. The death of the 21-year-old from Cobb County in the mass shooting in Chattanooga over a week ago struck a chord across Metro Atlanta, especially in his community. This empathy and showing of support appeared at as great a place as any along Atlanta roads before and during this procession, as hundreds gathered on different overpasses on Interstate 75 in Cobb to honor the fallen hero.
The Cobb fire and police departments staged on the Highway 5 bridge over I-75 and two fire trucks raised their tall ladders diagonally to each other. Strung between the tall booms was an American flag. This predictably caused big backups on I-75 in both directions before the procession of Wells’ body.
Just after 1 p.m., dozens of police cars, motorcycles, and other public safety vehicles streamed onto I-75/northbound from Central Avenue. They followed the HOV lane all the way up the Downtown Connector.
Units ahead of the procession blocked off all entrance ramps and cleared the freeway, so Wells’ hearse could travel in sanctuary. The contingency traveled up I-75/northbound, past the Chattahoochee River and I-285 and up into the existing I-75 backups.
But people cooperated with the directives and cleared from HOV and fast lanes of I-75 to allow the procession up through Marietta and eventually to Kennesaw. All of these closures added to the I-75 delays in Cobb and caused shockwaves of slow traffic in Downtown Atlanta.
However, as I followed the majestic motorcade on the WSB Jam Cams, I noticed full and respectful compliance by surrounding motorists. I answered plenty of phone calls about the delays and the only complaints I heard were from people who didn’t know why. Once they heard, they understood and accepted this brief interruption in exchange for a brilliant moment of unity and respect.
So often we find ourselves banging our steering wheels. But Thursday saw a different mood. Yes, there was a rolling closure along over 30 miles of busy freeways. Yes, there was a big display on the Highway 5 overpass that caused miles of delays as people slowed to look. But these delays gave those stuck extra time to reflect on the reason they were sitting still. A young serviceman lost his life in the blink of an eye and his family and hometown opened their arms to receive him.
In our bustling life, sometimes God sends these inconveniences to slow us down just enough to think - and in this case, pay respect.
The worst delays on I-75 in Cobb County added close to an hour to some people’s trip times. But this day, the pause to reflect made the wait well worth it.
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