How a College Art Project Shut Down an Atlanta Highway
Published at(ATLANTA) — A college art project was the cause of a “suspicious package” report that closed a major highway in Atlanta on Monday.
The package was actually a camera mounted on a bridge, Georgia State University said on Tuesday.
“We sincerely apologize for the traffic problems resulting yesterday from the mounting of a student camera at the 14th St. Bridge. The camera was one of 18 used by students in an art project and deployed at various locations in the city,” the school said in a statement. “Georgia State Police are closely cooperating with the Atlanta Police Department in the removal of all of the cameras.”
Confirmed:suspicious device that shut down downtown connector one of 18 for @GeorigaStateU photography project #wsbtv pic.twitter.com/qA8Vcju2f9
— Aaron Diamant (@AaronDiamantWSB) February 3, 2015
2nd device @GeorgiaStateU now says were part of photo project. One shut down Connector yesterday. 18 in all #wsbtv pic.twitter.com/pOtBoOYuXD
— Aaron Diamant (@AaronDiamantWSB) February 3, 2015
The Georgia Department of Transportation reported on Monday that 14th Street closed between Techwood Dr. and West Peachtree St. and I-75/85 closed north and southbound at 14th Street after the suspicious package was reported. The ramps to 14th from I-75/85 in both directions were also closed.
All lanes of travel were reopened several hours later Monday afternoon and the scene was “rendered all clear,” Atlanta police told ABC News, but the closure still caused extreme traffic ahead of the evening rush hour.
They’re turning folks around and sending them off the highway. @Atlanta_Traffic pic.twitter.com/ld7F8wPjWv
— Erika (@ErikaBirg) February 2, 2015
People are turning around, backing up, doing whatever they can to get off the highway #atltraffic pic.twitter.com/EISo2PVYmX
— Erika (@ErikaBirg) February 2, 2015
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