The
Blogsite

Steve Williams, Blogmaster

Another Ramp Meter Update (And It Ain't Good)

Print the article

This entry was posted on 9/12/2007 4:48 PM and is filed under uncategorized.

This afternoon on my way home from work, I chatted on the Atlanta Radio Club 146.82 repeater with Dave of Dunwoody, and our conversation had turned to roads... particularly the new ramp meters on US 19/GA 400 in North Fulton County.

He had informed me that the Georgia DOT will not be turning them on anytime soon due to fiber optic cable damage, which will take about one year and $1,000,000 in our tax money to fix. In fact, he forwarded me this article from Atlanta's 11Alive website. Thank you, Dave, for forward the article and here's the "props" I promised you.

Interestingly enough, GDOT has yet to update their ramp meter schedule on their website.

On a happier note, I received Alabama's official 2007-2008 roadmap in the mail today. (YIPPEE!!!)

Just like fellow road enthusiast "Froggie" reported on the Yahoo! Southeast Roads and misc.transport.road (MTR) newsgroups, it has the US 78/AL 4 expressway in northwest Alabama marked as "Future I-22". The old sections of US 78 from near Jasper westward have been signed as "ALT US 78". The last time there was an ALT US 78, it stretched south of US 78 from eastern Alabama and rejoined US 78 in Villa Rica, Georgia. The Georgia portion ran along what is now GA 61 and GA 166, according to information I received years ago from U.S. Highways expert Robert V. Droz.

They've also brought back the Alabama Interstate Highway System exit guides that were on prior versions of the map several years ago. Before Alabama put this on their maps, Georgia did for several years during the late 1970's and 1980's. IMHO, Alabama stole this idea from Georgia, but I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Speaking of the Future I-22, another ham, Chris of Buford, told me that he drives that stretch of road to visit relatives near Memphis and it has cut his travel time by at least an hour, as opposed to driving from Atlanta to Nashville and then over to Memphis. We also talked about "geocaching", something Mary and I have considered taking up. After talking with Chris, and my ham buddy James of Snellville (who also did some "geocaching"), I think I really, really want Santa to bring me a really, really nice GPS unit for Christmas (hint, hint).

And finally... are y'all ready to reel, rock, and roll 'til the break of dawn? If so, then please click here for one of Comrade Otto Yamamoto's newest Dashboard Cinema videos.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading and please come back again.

 del.icio.us  Stumbleupon  Technorati  Digg 

 

What did you think of this article?




Trackbacks
Trackback specific URL for this entry
  • No trackbacks exist for this entry.
Comments
    Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

    • 9/13/2007 3:12 PM Joe Gillis wrote:
      I liked your entry. I work at Exit 5 and myself and my co-workers are puzzled why our exit did not get a ramp meter when it is the worst on-ramp of the lot in the afternoons.
      Reply to this
    • 9/15/2007 12:22 AM Roaddog wrote:
      Bummer about the ramp meters, Atlanta could really use them. They would also be one of a select group of southeastern cities to have them with Miami being the other that comes to mind.

      Mississippi and for awhile Louisiana also used strip Interstate maps on their official. MS may still do that now, and if so until AL started as you mentioned, was the last hold out. LA dropped theirs in the 1980s like GA did.

      I listened to your broadcast with Jim and have to agree with him, that new stack planned at I-95/695 east of Baltimore is amazing!
      Reply to this
    • 10/8/2007 2:38 PM Bryant wrote:
      Hey y'all,

      An update on ramp meters. GDOT has added several along the Downtown Connector. The ones that I have seen are at University Avenue/SR 54 at I-75/85 South, Pulliam Street (up the street from Turner Field) at I-75/85 South, and, I think, Fulton Street (just west of the Downtown Connector) at I-75/85 South. There are also several along I-285 on the southwest end, from I-85/South Fulton Parkway to about I-20/MLK Jr. Drive.
      Reply to this
    Leave a comment

    Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.

     Enter the above security code (required)

     Name

     Email (will not be published)

     Website

    Your comment is 0 characters limited to 3000 characters.



      
    Copyright 2007. Steve Williams. All rights reserved.

    DISCLAIMER: "The Georgia Road Geek" is neither affiliated with, nor endorsed by, the State of Georgia, Georgia Department of Transportation, or any other federal, state, or local government agency    .