This entry was posted on 7/18/2009 8:54 AM and is filed under uncategorized.
Will the Georgia DOT be slapping tolls on existing non-tolled roads?
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GDOT staff is recommending that the State Transportation Board pass a policy allowing "one (1) regular lane in each direction on a highway" that is otherwise non-tolled to be tolled. Said tolls would be collected via "electronic sensors". Please click here to read the article.
Frankly, I am not pleased with the idea of non-tolled roads (or any portion thereof) becoming tolled. Such a plan amounts to a "double taxation" (once to pay for the construction and another to use). It is bad enough that the HOV lanes on I-85 in Gwinnett County may be converted to toll lanes, but to take non-HOV lanes and convert them to so-called "Lexus Lanes" is IMHO like asking me to pay to purchase my own house, car, or any other thing I currently own, for second and subsequent times.
Recently, fellow road enthusiast Adam Prince, in a recent post on his blog "Sure, Why Not?", shared information about how the State of South Carolina is struggling to pay the bond indebtedness incurred for building Greenville's Southern Connector (I-185 toll road extension from I-85 to I-385).
As for the GDOT toll proposal in question, it is my hope that the State Transporation Board does not impose this "double-taxation" on us and rejects this proposal as soon as possible.
And finally, a sad "73" (goodbye) to legendary CBS newsman (and fellow ham radio operator - callsign KB2GSD) Walter Cronkite, who died just the other day at the age of 92.
In an era before "mainstream" news (CBS, ABC, NBC, etc.) became too obsessed with "tabloid journalism", Mr. Cronkite was a man who brought humanity and believability to us nightly via our television. 20 years ago, country singer George Jones sang a song asking "Who's gonna fill their shoes? Who's gonna stand that tall?". In today's news environment wrought with too many perfectly coiffed "Stepford Wives" and way, way too much "tabloid" crap, I doubt there will ever be another "Uncle Walter" to "fill those shoes".
In 2003, Mr. Cronkite hosted an American Radio Relay League-produced video called "Amateur Radio Today". Please take a moment to watch this 6-and-a-half minute video...
8/4/2009 5:51 PM
anon wrote:
I think all the proposals for toll lanes we've seen so far in Georgia are boondoggles. The companies proposing them don't care because they get paid regardless -- they have little to lose. I object as a taxpayer to any in which we're on the hook. I suspect if we tell companies it's 100% your project, including losses, they'll suddenly come up with reasons that their projections might be off and pull the proposals. Bet on it. Reply to this
Copyright 2007. Steve Williams. All rights reserved.
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