Less traffic means more speeders on Ga. 400
Some metro drivers have taken advantage of the open road now that so many folks are quarantined at home and skipping the daily commute.
Sandy Springs Police have ticketed 31 people driving over 100 mph on Ga. 400 in the past two weeks, according to Sgt. Salvador Ortega, public information officer for the department. “That’s a big number (31) for Sandy Springs,” said Ortega.
Since March, traffic has become increasingly sparse on streets and highways as multiple jurisdictions issued shelter-in-place orders due to the coronavirus.
The Georgia Department of Transportation reported the drop in daily commutes has led to a dramatic reduction in traffic on metro roads last month. Traffic volumes on southbound Ga. 400 were down 30-35%, department officials estimated, while average speeds were up.
More details: Coronavirus: Traffic down as much as 50% on metro Atlanta highways
Sandy Springs Police jurisdiction along Ga. 400 runs from just after Lenox Road (Exit 2) to just before Holcomb Bridge Road (Exit 7).
Ortega said police are not stopping drivers to check to see where they are going.
“We’ve had some people asking on social media if we are stopping drivers to enforce shelter-in-place (rules),” he said. “We are not stopping people just for being out. We are enforcing traffic.”
