Interstate collapses in Atlanta

[Vombatus]

It's the south. Resort to more bussing.

 

[Riptide]

It's the south. Resort to more bussing.

Smoochies!!!

 

[Riptide]

Was right in the middle of all this, boys and girls. Had just turned on 85 north from 75 south about 6:10pm (my normal commute to avoid the 285 east cluster**** every evening) and traffic slowed. Inched around the corner and could see the huge black smoke cloud. Inched ahead for a bit, and then stopped. Probably less than half a mile from the fire. Highway sign said closed , and then shortly thereafter collapsed. Waited for a good amount of time, and then everyone was turned around to go south in the 85 northbound lanes to catch 75 north. Pulled into the garage at 9:45pm.

Thankfully no one was injured or killed. That was some great, quick thinking by the authorities to shut everything down, even as I was cursing the highway closure without knowing the situation. Could have been a lot worse if that collapsed with cars still going over it (thank you captain kirk obvious).

This is going to be a massive snarl for the weeks/months ahead. Anytime there's a big time traffic screw-up anywhere in the city, it affects the entire transportation system all over the metropolitan area. There will be gridlock everywhere with everyone who would take 85 spilling over for alternate routes.

From a sporting perspective, the Braves couldn't be more screwed. They have a preseason test run at the new place with the Yankees tomorrow. It was already going to be bad; now it's going to be snowmageddonish probably at best. Welcome to Cobb County, boys.

Another sporting note: there's a volleyball tournament (I think they said Big South on the radio) that's expected to bring 30,000 into the city this weekend. At the same time bunches of people will be trying to make their way south for spring break. Enjoy your visit, y'all!

If there's one good thing that can come from this, it would be a serious look at building a mass transit system that a city of this size needs. Maybe the pain of the next few months makes people wake up to the fact a city this size cannot exist as a motor car only transit option. Probably not, but one can hope...

Good thing it didn't snow ...

 

[Vombatus]

Good thing it didn't snow ...

But baseball is starting soon.

 

[Vombatus]

And GA Tech got crushed by TCU in the NIT.

 

[Machine Head]

Good thing it didn't snow ...

I haven't driven in ATL for a few years, but I've driven in snow and ice there and it is all kinds of ****ed up.

 

[Batman]

It's the south. Resort to more bussing.

If they can break people out of the car culture, Atlanta might have reached the point where a regional rail system is a viable option. Sort of a cross between the Northeast Corridor and the Chicago El, where all of the suburbs are now connected.

 

[Batman]

From some of the news clips, it looked like the burning overpass was right next to a railroad yard. They haven't said what caused the fire, but it seems like a good bet that a tanker car might have caught fire. Certainly would explain the intense and growing fire.

 

[dixiehack]

Current thinking is that it was PVC pipe.

 

[Vombatus]

 

[Riptide]

If they can break people out of the car culture, Atlanta might have reached the point where a regional rail system is a viable option. Sort of a cross between the Northeast Corridor and the Chicago El, where all of the suburbs are now connected.

From some of the news clips, it looked like the burning overpass was right next to a railroad yard. They haven't said what caused the fire, but it seems like a good bet that a tanker car might have caught fire. Certainly would explain the intense and growing fire.

I guess you're having a bad day on the discussion board, but do you ever do a little research or check out some facts before you gift us with your Current Assessment of Really Important Stuff?

I hope you're not an editor. I hope you're a reporter with a really good editor.

 

[Batman]

I guess you're having a bad day on the discussion board, but do you ever do a little research or check out some facts before you gift us with your Current Assessment of Really Important Stuff?

I hope you're not an editor. I hope you're a reporter with a really good editor.

And good evening, and **** you too.

I'll let the comment on the other thread slide. I'm about to head to bed and don't care enough to get into a political pissing match. Whatever.
But what's your ****ing problem here?
I made observations about a couple of things I noticed that felt relevant to the thread. If what I said didn't make sense, it wasn't something offensive that's worth getting your dander up about. If I'm wrong, point it out, refute it or ignore it. Or just pull out whatever bug crawled up your ass and snack on it. Whatever floats your boat.

 

[Riptide]

And good evening, and **** you too.

I'll let the comment on the other thread slide. I'm about to head to bed and don't care enough to get into a political pissing match. Whatever.
But what's your ****ing problem here?
I made observations about a couple of things I noticed that felt relevant to the thread. If what I said didn't make sense, it wasn't something offensive that's worth getting your dander up about. If I'm wrong, point it out, refute it or ignore it. Or just pull out whatever bug crawled up your ass and snack on it. Whatever floats your boat.

Your posts sometimes show ambition but usually perhaps a lack of intelligence.
I get that you live in a podunk state. You should read more, though, and then think harder.

 

[Batman]

Your posts sometimes show ambition but usually perhaps a lack of intelligence.
I get that you live in a podunk state. You should read more, though, and then think harder.

Derp. I'm sorry we're not all as enlightened as you. I'll go read a book and get smart.
Anybody know where I can get my hands on a copy of "Goodnight Moon?" I hear that one's a page turner, even if it might be a challenge for someone of limited intelligence such as myself.

 

[Riptide]

Derp. I'm sorry we're not all as enlightened as you. I'll go read a book and get smart.
Anybody know where I can get my hands on a copy of "Goodnight Moon?" I hear that one's a page turner, even if it might be a challenge for someone of limited intelligence such as myself.

Maybe, instead, you could think about not vomiting up bull**** laundry generalizations from your Podunk Red State and try to participate in a balanced and well-intentioned group discussion instead.

 

[Batman]

Maybe, instead, you could think about not vomiting up bull**** laundry generalizations from your Podunk Red State and try to participate in a balanced and well-intentioned group discussion instead.

That throwaway comment on the North Carolina thread got under your skin this much? Because the only inflammatory thing from the two comments you cited on this thread were about the fire itself.
I'm genuinely fascinated by this. I've been around here for 11 years and I don't think I've ever had a real dust-up with anyone. I certainly didn't think I'd pop my cherry over speculating about Atlanta's need for a regional rail line and the possibility of a railroad car being the source of the interstate fire.

 

[Riptide]

Ahh, PM me sometime. Nobody here cares about that ****.

 

[HanSenSE]

Won't anyone think of the thousands of fans coming from out of state to watch the new MLS team?

 

[dixiehack]

Won't anyone think of the thousands of fans coming from out of state to watch the new MLS team?

Next home match isn't until end of April.

You laugh but they've sold something like 30,000 season tickets.

 

[Riptide]

That throwaway comment on the North Carolina thread got under your skin this much? Because the only inflammatory thing from the two comments you cited on this thread were about the fire itself.
I'm genuinely fascinated by this. I've been around here for 11 years and I don't think I've ever had a real dust-up with anyone. I certainly didn't think I'd pop my cherry over speculating about Atlanta's need for a regional rail line and the possibility of a railroad car being the source of the interstate fire.

Your politics posts suck.
Also, your Podunk perspective is small-town.
Let's go with that for now. What else you got?