Q: I recently saw a red X above a lane on I-285 near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Exit 59 (Clark Howell Highway/Air Cargo). I know the Xs mean to not drive in the lane, but it was in the middle of the expressway. What’s the purpose of the Xs and green arrows?
—Sherman Poythress, College Park
A: The Xs and arrows appear on tunnels that travel under the fifth runway that was added to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jill Goldberg told Q&A on the News in an e-mail. She said the Xs and arrows are to alert drivers if there is a problem in the lane ahead that they might not be able to see when they enter the tunnels, which are approximately 2,000 feet long. "It is simply another safety measure that can potentially be activated to assist motorists prior to the arrival of emergency response vehicles," Goldberg wrote.
Q: With all the talk about pollen and the counts, what is the highest Atlanta has ever had and when?
—Martha Hunt, Hoschton
A: The pollen count record for Atlanta is 6,013, set on April 12, 1999, according to The Weather Channel. A count above 90 is high, and anything above 1,500 is extremely high. On April 7, 2010, Atlanta's count reached 5,733 particles of pollen for the second highest on record.
Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or e-mail q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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