This report is from a return trip from the Atlanta airport back to Meridian, MS on May 25, 2000.

Flew back to Atlanta from Newark yesterday afternoon, then the drive back to Meridian from there. Notes:

- Saw more of the ground this time. My flight generally flew just northwest of Philadelphia, Baltimore, the Capital Beltway, and between Roanoke and Lynchburg. Most distinguishable feature I remember was the 3-way directional (non-stack) at what I'm guessing was I-77 and Future I-74 near Mt. Airy, NC.

- Facing across the runways from the terminal I was at is the NJ TPK, between Exit 13A and Exit 14. LOTS of truck traffic along that route.

- Something being built at Newark Airport. Couldn't tell if it was a rail extension or a new flyover ramp from the terminal to US 1/9 South.

- Part of (old-numbering) Exit 82 on I-75 (the exit just north of I-285 near the airport) is an interesting SPUI with all the ramps in the median. I snapped a pic while we were on final approach.

- Exit number changing is now complete on I-85 south of Atlanta (and the portions of I-285 I was on or could see from the plane). Interestingly, only the two northernmost exits on I-185 (excluding at I-85) have had their numbers changed to milepost-based.

- I-185 is 6-lanes from Williams Road (old Exit 8) down to St. Mary's Road (old Exit 2). The interchange with US 80 is a cloverleaf with C/D roads.

- Tight cloverleaf at I-185's end at US 27/280. There are also END I-185 signs right at the bridge. Didn't get a pic of those, but I did get a pic of the BEGIN I-185 signs on the other side. None of the GADOT I-185 signs had the state name.

- The I-185 freeway extends into Fort Benning for a few miles, and has 2 exits in there before ending near the "Main Post".  The ending is a T-intersection with a couple of "free right" ramps. Right at the beginning at that intersection is a "NORTH I-185" shield with the state name.

- The ALT US 27 freeway near Columbus is not quite I-grade.  Shoulders are a bit narrow. The US 80 freeway, however, is I-grade, although most maps that show it extending to the ALT US 27 freeway are in error. The freeway section begins/ends about a half-mile west of ALT US 27. The US 80 freeway also includes a long set of C/D roads from just west of I-185 to Moon Rd.

- Interestingly, the Georgia side of the US 80 freeway has exit numbers.

- On the Alabama side, the US 80 freeway ends at a half diamond at US 280/431. There's a sign that states it is the "temporary ending"

- The entire Macon County, AL section of US 80 has No Passing Zone signs as they are supposed to be used. Only stretch of road I have seen in Alabama that does this.

- (for the weathergeeks in the crowd) Ran into some dime-size hail on the last leg, both at US 80/AL 17 and on Minnow Bucket Road (a local Lauderdale County road) just east of US 45.
 

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