The last thing a North Atlanta student wants to see while driving up I-75 North on the way to school is a line that is so long coming from exit 256 that cars are jutting out into the highway. NAHS students aren’t the only victims of this issue though, as the nearby private schools Lovett and Westminster share this curse. The combination of the three institutions’ traffic in the morning is enough to give even the most seasoned traffic guards PTSD. What can be done to solve this problem, if anything, and how do the students of the affected groups feel about it?
Getting from the entrance of I-75 from Howell Mill to exit 256 takes North Atlanta junior Reis Holzworth usually around five minutes. However, after covering three out of the roughly four-mile journey, the remainder takes significantly more time than the entire prior portion. This is consistently the fault of the excessive amount of traffic crammed into the small exit. “If they just tried making the middle lane on Mount Paran onto Northside a right turn it would really speed up the whole ordeal,” said Holzworth.
No matter who you are or what school you go to, traffic doesn’t discriminate. Westminster senior Lane Healy knows this all too well when making his daily commute. Healy, who lives East of I-75, has to deal with the traffic stemming from the Mount Paran side leading up to the exit. Despite not being a part of the runoff of the freeway, the Westminster driver has to deal with the implications of the traffic plight. As a result of the highway goers backing up the road, car riders on Mount Paran can be found at a standstill even during a green light and vice versa. “If they would just add another lane whether it be right turn or straight the traffic wouldn’t be a problem,” said Healy.
While most of the time Lovett Lions and Westminster Wildcats are at odds, the two groups can find mutual ground over Exit 256. Lovett junior Daniel Smith can testify towards the two academy’s mutual disdain for the highway’s turnoff. The private institution certainly doesn’t contribute to the congestion in as much of a copious fashion as North Atlanta, but the school’s student body certainly still faces just as big an impact. Smith is just as motivated as anyone regardless of affiliation to get the issue solved. “A lot more people could get through if they could improve the timing of the first traffic light and the one past the bridge,” said Smith, “As of now though, it’s a complete mess.”
To the dismay of anyone who has to deal with the matter, a solution likely won’t be put into effect for a long time. However, that doesn’t mean that it will never happen. The City of Atlanta- known for being plagued with seemingly never-ending highway maintenance and efficiency issues could add fixing the infamous Exit 256 to their to-do-list. Until then, car riders and carpoolers alike will have to put up with the stress of sticking out into the highway and sitting at a light for 10 minutes.
