What the hell was up with traffic this morning?? (Atlanta: home, school)

[samiwas1]

So, I know that traffic in Atlanta is bad. I've lived here for over 11 years. And admittedly, I don't spend much time out at rush hour. But I've driven the route back and forth from my kid's school enough times.

The route is always busy, but it's not insane. And if it is, you take a back road or two around it.

But today? Moore's Mill was backed up twice as far as usual. So we hopped off onto another road. It was backed up more than I've ever seen it, by far. Usually 10-12 cars at one intersection, but today it backed up for a 1/2 mile. Rinse and repeat for the entire drive.

After we dropped him off, we started the journey home as we always have, which is going against normal morning traffic. We didn't make it halfway before we decided to just turn around and wait at the school. Not only were the roads towards Bulkhead slammed, the roads coming out of there were just as bad. We sat in standstill traffic in directions that never have traffic at that time of the morning. Every detour we tried to take was stopped. We decided a last resort to hop on I-75 and take it over an exit to a back way to our house. It was standstill.

Is there some specific reason traffic was so abnormally insane today? Was it the freakin' amazing weather?

[evannole]

No idea, but Atlanta Road southbound through Smyrna was unusually terrible this morning as well, particularly around Ridge Rd. An ambulance did come through at one point but I never saw where it ended up. And I heard fire engines galore at home near the Marietta Square while watering the plants before 8 this morning.

[afdinatl]

It took me 13 mins to get to work. Sorry to hear that

[AnsleyPark]

I recall seeing that there was a bad wreck on 75S this morning.

[samiwas1]

I just came across this twitter feed for Atlanta Traffic: https://twitter.com/atlanta_traffic

Apparently, every major highway was clogged like crazy today. And when they get clogged, everyone hops onto surface streets and they become out of control. Every now and then, it just becomes one of those days.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

I recall seeing that there was a bad wreck on 75S this morning.

Car fire between Moore's Mill and Howell Mill exits. Heard on the WSB radio stream this morning.

[cqholt]

We need more grade separated transit.

[Big L]

Someone stalled out on 78 this morning, so that slowed things up a bit.

That leads me to a question (I apologize in advance if it is a dumb question): Why does it seem like people always stall in a center lane? You would think that someone with a hooptie or a vehicle that they know if giving them issues would ride closer to the shoulder and exits.

[waronxmas]

The sky was clear and the weather was cool. This is not even me being facetious, a huge swing in the weather pattern can affect driving habits in this city.

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by Big L

Someone stalled out on 78 this morning, so that slowed things up a bit.

That leads me to a question (I apologize in advance if it is a dumb question): Why does it seem like people always stall in a center lane? You would think that someone with a hooptie or a vehicle that they know if giving them issues would ride closer to the shoulder and exits.

They probably notice at the last minute that it is struggling and can't make it over.

No delays this morning for me. Best option since I dropped my commute on the top end. My days are so much better.

Big L, I don't know how you do the drive on 78. I never realized how many people in Central Gwinnett drive to 78 in the morning.