Close down the funky exit/entrance on I-75@Northside Drive!

[Beach Runner]

I'm a native Atlantan, and the funky extra exit/entrance ramps on I-75@ Northside Drive are very confusing, even for people like me who *know* Atlanta. There have been deaths in the past due to confusion causing people to enter I-75 and going the wrong direction. Today's tragedy that involved multiple deaths of college athletes bound for a spring break tournament in Florida just underlines the problem. Georgia DOT, please close those ramps at Northside Drive! They are confusing and an anomaly in the ATL.

 

[RiverOtter]

Very sad. There are a couple of places in the Nooga that are notoriousfor fatal accidents. They are now (after 100 years or so) installing traffic / speeding cameras. I understand the need to do something but I sure hate the "Big Brother" aspect of it.

 

[Mermaid]

That was a horrible tragedy. I say write to the DOT and express your thoughts about this. If they hear enough outrage, something may happen. In our neighborhood we've collectively complained about dangerous roads and eventually, we've had things improved. The "eventually" part of the equation is a hard one to deal with--the gov moves at the speed of molasses sometimes, even when deaths are involved.

 

[tistheseason]

I have no doubt that the DOT will close that stupid exit/entrance. I use to live right there and it is terribly confusing. Every single person I have talked to has said "of course the bus driver was confused!":shock: It was a tragedy waiting to happen . . . .and now it has. It has gotten the attention of the world. (Got emails from people in Spain!) Hopefully it got the attention of the DOT.

 

[RiverOtter]

I have no doubt that the DOT will close that stupid exit/entrance. I use to live right there and it is terribly confusing. Every single person I have talked to has said "of course the bus driver was confused!":shock: It was a tragedy waiting to happen . . . .and now it has. It has gotten the attention of the world. (Got emails from people in Spain!) Hopefully it got the attention of the DOT.

I heard this morning they think the bus driver thought he was still on the interstate :shock: That must be confusing

 

[pgurney]

I heard this morning they think the bus driver thought he was still on the interstate :shock: That must be confusing

It's confusing in the other direction too. As Beach Runner said in her post, people have used this exit ramp to enter the southbound lanes of I-75, but going north.

 

[Beach Runner]

The Atlanta newspaper says there have been 82 accidents at these two ramps. On several occasions cars on Northside Drive have accidentally turned right onto one of the ramps and ended up going northbound in the southbound lane of I-75. And when you're travelling southbound on I-75 in the HOV lane and see the signs saying to stay left to stay on both I-75 and I-85, it's confusing when you see the Northside exit peel off to the left. One sign just before that exit says "Buses stay left." Then it sort of makes you feel dyslexic and confused when staying in the HOV lane can put you on both I-75 south and I-85 north. I don't travel this route on a daily basis, and I always have to stop and think about that (how can you go north and south from the same lane?).

The ramp is also very short. It ends with a stop sign, whereas most exits have a long ramp and/or have a traffic light at the end. It would be easy for the bus driver to have been distracted by the beauty of the lights of the Atlanta skyline and not notice the stop sign. Thats probably what happened since the Atlanta police have said there were no skid marks.

Really sad.

 

[Cheering472]

Its sad and made worse because it seems to have been preventable.