It's opposite days in Atlanta, where the city will pay you to take public transit

In many ways, Atlanta is the definition of suburban sprawl, unfolding for miles on all side with endless restless ribbons of blacktop pushing residents throughout the metro area. It's a car culture and there's less space for more people as the city continues to enjoy strong growth.

In order to drum up more interest in MARTA, the regional public transportation system, one enterprising agency has embraced opposite day by offering toll credits to those drivers who park the car and test MARTA for a day. The grand irony of this bargain is that it's a solution to the overcrowded Express toll lane on the I-85 interstate. The toll lane was meant to alleviate congestion by charging for access to the fast lane and has become so successful that the lane now often moves slower than the other lanes.

The Express Lanes are meant to be priced per mile so that traffic maintains a steady 45 miles per hour, even during peak rush hour. The demand-based pricing isn't working though, as usage of the lanes has tripled to 23,000 daily trips since opening in October 2011.

Drivers in northeast Atlanta will get $2 in toll credits per transit trip, up to $60 per month. This jives with the average demand-based fare, which hovers around a daily $2. Drivers could earn enough to cover roughly one trip down the Express Lane for every transit trip taken.

Other initiatives included reaching out to certain commuters and offering toll credits for shifting commutes earlier or later. It's pretty crazy that the state of congestion in American cities has come down to such a micro level of targeting specific commuter demographics — and is in direct contrast to cities like Portland that have invested heavily in alternative forms of transportation.