Atlanta Pollution

Known as the connector in Atlanta. Interstates 75 and 85 run together through downtown Atlanta with as many as 16 lanes of traffic making it one of the widest motorways in the world. The traffic flow is never less than 250,000 vehicles per day and on heavy traffic days carries more that 320,000. Much of this excessive traffic is due to the lack of a substantial mass transit system. Atlanta does have MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) which includes buses and a rail system but it does not reach far enough into the suburbs to make it a reasonable alternative way to commute for most people. On more than 40 days between May and September in metro Atlanta, particularly during hot, dry summers, air pollution in the region may build to levels that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deems unsafe for humans. One recent study predicted that 1 out of every 1500 cases of lung cancer in the area is due to these poor conditions . This photo was taken around 9pm one Friday evening.