As 2014 steamrolls to a close, various “Year in Review” packages populate media. News, entertainment, and sports get the main focus during these looks back, but rarely does traffic. Just like the old adage about learning history, we in metro Atlanta just may be forcing ourselves to repeat the various debacles on our roads by not analyzing them enough.
5. Protesters impede traffic multiple times
Various causes prompted protesters to block lanes on busy Atlanta roads. Anti-police violence crowds blocked lanes on the Downtown Connector back in October and again the night the Ferguson grand jury’s decision was announced. Those same crowds also blocked traffic on the Saturday before Christmas at the Peachtree/Lenox intersection in front of the mall.
Fast food minimum wage protesters blocked lanes on Ponce de Leon Ave. at Boulevard in Midtown, in front of the McDonald’s in September. And various “Impeach Obama” protesters hung their signs on interstate overpasses and sometimes caused distractions, particularly along Interstate 85 near Spaghetti Junction in DeKalb.
All of these protests got attention for their causes, but also caused jams and were very dangerous. Let’s hope this doesn’t set the stage for 2015.
4. Transportation funding, or the lack of it
With the added volume on the roads comes greater need for mass transit as well as more projects to improve and add to the roads. But the main source of funding for GDOT, the gas tax, is dwindling with more fuel efficient cars and, for now, falling gas prices.
GDOT officials just finished a survey where they asked Georgians how transportation should be funded in the future. The state legislature has a new committee focused just on coming up with road funding solutions. Georgians’ weariness of big government and taxes, along with a distrust of the DOT, caused the TSPLOST to fail two years ago.
Such a high percentage of funding goes into maintaining current roads that not much is left over for new projects. The DOT ventured into public-private partnerships for the funding of the I-75 and I-575 managed toll lanes, which began construction this year. No matter where you stand on the issues, there is no doubt that easing gridlock is a must for Georgia’s economic health.
3. More jobs, more people commuting, more delays
The economy is growing stroner in many sectors and traffic is a good indicator of that. It’s never been worse in Atlanta, with commutes, based on my observance, getting at least 5 to 10 percent worse overall and worse than that in some areas.
The biggest change in the traffic patterns pre- and post-recession has been how many jams there are in “non-rush hour” directions.
Easily, the road that has gotten the worst in the past year is GA 400 inside I-285 because more people take it through Buckhead. Even though the toll plaza is gone, people still slow where it used to be.
2. The tragic death of Captain Herb
April 12 saw the passing of an Atlanta traffic icon, WSB Radio and Television’s Captain Herb Emory. Emory died of a heart attack in front of his house after tending to injured in a crash and then directing traffic around it. His impact on Atlanta traffic is hard to properly describe. He had relationships with public officials like no other. He oversaw the development of dozens of traffic reporters, including myself. He worked harder than any reporter to serve the public — reporting news and traffic in Atlanta for over 40 years. His methodology and passion are a charge we are left to keep. But no matter what, the aura in the WSB Skycopter will never be the same. I miss my mentor and dear friend. We all do.
1. Ice and snow storms
If Atlanta and the state of Georgia didn’t learn from these, then there is no hope. The first “Ice-pocalypse” (because apparently you can have more than one apocalypse) was the last week of January and was horrible. The ice moved into town earlier and further to the north than expected, literally freezing cars on the roads.
Thousands spent the night or nights in their cars, or in businesses and schools. Nearly everyone has a battlescar from that debacle - like taking 12 hours to drive five miles. The state and local governments took criticism in the teeth because of what many saw as a lax and faulty response.
Then another storm hit two weeks later. Although less intense and icy, it paralyzed Atlanta for another few days. Georgians may never learn to take snow like northerners can, but hopefully we take it better the next time.
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