I was asked by a reader recently what were the most memorable traffic problems that I have covered in my career. Even with my poor memory, these incidents jumped out right away. Listed in chronological order:
● Manhunts: Mark Barton and Brian Nichols; July 29, 1999, and March 11, 2005
The day-trader shooter and the courthouse shooter. Both incidents created metrowide manhunts that were followed closely by us in the traffic center and by Captain Herb in the chopper. During both, I was working in the traffic center taking calls from listeners who were trying to help track down the perpetrators and working with law enforcement officials who were on the hunt.
● Super Bowl ice storm: Weekend of Jan. 29, 2000
The world’s eyes were on Atlanta as we hosted the Super Bowl between the Rams and Titans. Unfortunately, the area was hit with two major ice storms in less than a week. I remember doing traffic reports that Saturday morning before the big game and reporting that all Atlanta interstates were closed. That’s right. Every interstate was shut down at one time. Crazy.
● 100-car pileup on I-75: March 14, 2002
I remember getting a call early that morning from fellow traffic reporter Crash Clark, who was then working for 99X. He said a caller told him that there was a 100-car wreck on I-75 somewhere. I told Crash that someone was pulling his leg, but it turned out to be true. About 125 vehicles piled up on a stretch in Catoosa County in extreme northwest Georgia. Dense fog was the culprit. Four people were killed and 39 injured.
● Bluffton University bus crash: March 2, 2007
No one can forget the horrible crash that morning when a bus carrying the Bluffton University baseball team mistakenly took what the driver thought was the HOV exit of I-75/southbound onto Northside Drive. The bus went through the overpass and fell back onto I-75, killing seven people: five baseball players, the bus driver and his wife. I-75 was closed for hours, and the crash led to a revamping of that exit.
● The Great Flood of September 2009
The metro Atlanta flood was such a huge story, and so many roads were affected by the rising waters; but I think the most memorable closure was I-20 on the west side of town. Sweetwater Creek flooded its banks and rose so high it completely covered I-20. As a result, I-20 was shut down for days between Lee Road and Thornton Road
● Zebra loose on the Connector: Feb. 18, 2010
I have covered animals on the roads my entire career, but nothing as exotic as this wayward circus zebra on the Downtown Connector. The graceful animal was eventually corralled, but sadly it had to be put down because of injuries it suffered.
What traffic problems were most memorable to you? Let me know: mark.arum@coxradio.com
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