It is illegal for pedestrians to walk on interstates, even on the entrance and exit ramps, unless there is an emergency. The reason is that it is extremely dangerous. With Atlanta’s traffic habits, it’s even more so. Every so often, a pedestrian is struck and killed on Atlanta interstates. That’s what caused a traffic jam this morning in southeast Atlanta. The AJC has the story.
Two lanes had to be shut down for two hours at the exit 55 offramp to Jonesboro Road from I-285 East while authorities investigated the pedestrian crash. The pedestrian was walking on the exit ramp for unknown reasons. The crash happened around 6:30 AM, just at the start of the morning rush hour.
The driver that hit the pedestrian stopped at the scene and cooperated with investigators. It is unknown if any charges will be filed over the incident. By 9 AM, the investigation was finished and all the lanes reopened.
One of the reasons that Atlanta has HERO trucks is so people don’t have to walk down the interstate to the next exit and put their lives at risk. It’s better to wait in your car for first responders to arrive and set up a safety perimeter.
If you must leave your car while you’re on the interstate, keep a very close eye out for vehicles and remember that they’re approaching you much faster than you might think. A car way in the distance can be near you in no time.
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