Gridlock Guy: Lessons learned from becoming a true Atlanta commuter

When my wife, Momo, and I travel the world, I like to recap my time in that city as a commuter. Comparing and contrasting how others get around versus how we navigate the molasses maze of Metro Atlanta is often a fun exercise. And stretching this idea to be able to cover hill climb racing in Germany is just as rewarding.

My experience as an Atlanta commuter, however, has largely been from a reporter’s view during and above rush hours. I had always lived close to my main employer and assignments and rarely have had a drivetime commute.

But that changed when I left WSB for financial marketing firm Impact Partnership last September. I went from living a few blocks from the now-grounded WSB Skycopter and 15 minutes from WSB’s Midtown studios to having to drive 30 minutes at a minimum (with no traffic) to Impact’s Kennesaw office. And we have to be in the office at least four days a week. The drives can be a grind, especially in the afternoons. So here are a few lessons that my joining the masses in Atlanta traffic has given me.

The stop-and-go is unstoppable

This may seem obvious to the majority of people who read this and have been taking a giant commuting pill for years. Traffic is going to traffic. And I saw it from the skies, through traffic cameras, and on Google Maps day after day. Even though commutes can be very unpredictable, the large body of work over time is very reliable.

My morning drive from Chamblee, which mostly involves I-285/westbound from Dunwoody and I-75/northbound through Marietta, is almost always a nearly delay-free half-hour. The ride home is usually 45-55 minutes, barring any wrecks. There is usually one delay-inducing crash per week. And Mondays and Fridays are generally lighter in the afternoons than in the midweek.

Wading through the daily sludge has helped me realize how quickly people adjust and acclimate to the gridlock that I had always seen with a bigger picture.

There are no special shortcuts

Not anymore, anyway. Google, Apple, Waze, and the like have annihilated the idea of any special routes that only locals know. For example, when I-75/southbound has gone to the hounds in the afternoons, both Cobb Parkway and Powers Ferry Roads can help shave a few minutes. But they do not offer life changing relief.

Almost everyone is exposed to optimized information and is using it. That was not always the case. When big traffic incidents impinge major arteries, drivers find other channels. So the alternates fill quickly with people who are driving almost exclusively to the directions of their apps.

Working from home and mass-transit expansion should be of higher priority

These concepts were always important to me, but that only notched up with the change in my commute.

The trend of employers mandating employees transition to largely in-person working is disappointing, given how well people worked from home during the pandemic. There is a great benefit in the form of cohesiveness to being in the office, but there is also a great boost to efficiency and morale in letting people stay home a few days per week.

I transitioned from a largely remote job to one where I am only home one day per week. I love the new job and being around my co-workers, but I burn hours each week on the road. Like many people, I arrive home drained after an hour of driving — and it wasn’t even a hard day at work.

I would take an hour of commuting if I was sitting and reading, not driving. But the lack of efficient mass transit, especially in the northwest corridor, eliminates that possibility. Cobb voters have repeatedly blocked MARTA over the decades, but they pay a price for that. And everyone pays the price for MARTA’s inefficiencies. Traffic stinks and is only getting worse.

Companies offering more hybrid-work options and the ATL somehow figuring out how to expand commuter buses and trains would be welcome in lightening the load on the roads. Every little bit helps. And don’t I know it now more than ever.

Doug Turnbull has covered Atlanta traffic for over 20 years and written “Gridlock Guy” since 2017. Doug also co-hosts the “Five to Go Podcast,” a weekly deep dive on stories in motorsports. Contact him at fireballturnbull@gmail.com.