Why is evening traffic into Atlanta so horrible? (home, construction)

[ATLTJL]

This is a curiosity.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've had reason to come downtown in the evening (around 8pm). Every single time, the traffic on the southbound connector has been absolutely awful, even worse than coming into town at 8am. People I talked to who do this all the time say it's always like that.

I understand if there's an event at the Georgia Dome, road construction, or some other reason...but apparently, these are not the issues.

Why are there so many cars trying to go south on the connector during the week at 8pm? Who are all of these people and where are they all going? Even the carpool lane offers no relief.

Connector northbound at this time is smooth sailing.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

This is a curiosity.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've had reason to come downtown in the evening (around 8pm). Every single time, the traffic on the southbound connector has been absolutely awful, even worse than coming into town at 8am. People I talked to who do this all the time say it's always like that.

I understand if there's an event at the Georgia Dome, road construction, or some other reason...but apparently, these are not the issues.

Why are there so many cars trying to go south on the connector during the week at 8pm? Who are all of these people and where are they all going? Even the carpool lane offers no relief.

Connector northbound at this time is smooth sailing.

You've got tons of people coming home from the big job centers on the north side. A number of them live in the city and a lot are cutting through on the way back home to suburbs on the east, west and south sides of town.

[ATLTJL]

But rush hour traffic out of the city has cleared by 8pm....isn't that too late of an hour to be explained by commuter traffic?

[MikeHonchoATL]

Because MARTA is awful.

Discuss

[George Chong]

Are you sure it's not the resurfacing project on 75/85 at the downtown connector?

Downtown Connector

[fieldm]

Because the people in Cobb County are thinking about that future Braves traffic and they turn back around and go back to Atlanta

[2Easy]

Because it's a big city with lots of people that own cars and have somewhere to be.

[MattCW]

Until you're south of I-20, you're not going outbound. Even at 8pm, there's enough volume from people who work later to clog up that stretch between Edgewood and I-20 which of course ripples the whole way up the connector to combine with the people from Midtown still heading south.

[ccdscott]

Originally Posted by MikeHonchoATL

Because MARTA is awful.

Discuss

Red and Gold line trains are packed going south well after 7pm. Now if you're arguing for more MARTA coverage, well then yes, I agree.

[ccdscott]

Also, when isn't the Connector NOT jammed? I've been on it at 1pm on a normal weekday and its filled with cars.