This entry was posted on 1/9/2010 4:04 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
The GDOT-proposed East Atlanta tunnel project now has at least one powerful major opponent... Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.
Even the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is apparently not too thrilled about it, either. Although the ARC has not gone on record as either supporting or opposing the tunnel, very preliminary data gathered by the ARC is showing that "a funding gap, a possible $8.00 toll , and not enough lanes, added up to a project that doesn't make any sense" (1).
Right now, the Georgia DOT (GDOT) does not seem to be swayed by Mayor Reed's comments. However, GDOT Commissioner Vance Smith admits that the proposed tunnel "has not yet been formally approved or found feasible" (2). Commissioner Smith consideres it merely a "concept" to be "put on the table" (2).
The tunnel in question, if ever built, would run from the I-85/GA 400 interchange southward to the I-285/I-675 interchange. North of I-20, it would be an actual tunnel, and the southern end would be a surface road. Conceptually, it would provide north Atlanta drivers an alternative to the Downtown Connector (I-75/85) and the eastern side of the Perimeter (I-285) for traveling to Macon and points southward.
Even GDOT admits that with the $8.00 toll, there would "likely be a significant funding gap" (2). Also, since this is a project that would be of the scale of Boston's "big dig" (where part of I-93 was converted from an overhead expressway to a tunnel under Downtown Boston), how much would Atlanta's own "big dig" really cost us, as taxpayers, both long- and short-term? I'm not really that sure that too many people would really want to pay the enormous toll just to go through the city. If it were something like the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel that provides southeastern Virginia with a vital direct link to Virginia's eastern peninsula, Maryland, and Delaware, then that would be different IMHO.
Right now, I tend to think that Mayor Reed and the ARC seem to be on the right side of this issue and applaud Mayor Reed in particular for his "steadfast and absolute" (1)(2) opposition to this seemingly "pie-in-the sky" project.
Do you have any feelings, pro or con, regarding the proposed East Atlanta tunnel? if so, then please feel free to post a comment on this blog.
That's it for now. Thanks for reading and please come back often.
1/10/2010 3:03 PMBryant wrote:
From a roadgeek standpoint, I'd love to see an underground freeway tunnel, like those in the movies.
Realistically, it might not be feasible, because of the opposition the original 400/675 connection got. And no one's going to pay $8.00 for a toll, at least not here in Metro Atlanta. People already hate paying the $0.50 toll on 400. Reply to this
1/27/2010 3:44 PM
Rico wrote:
As an out-of-towner who frequently drives from Nashville to Florida, I always dread the Atlanta transit. No offense to Atlantans because I love the city itself....but not its legendary traffic. There is almost always a debilitating traffic jam. With the volume of trucking traffic alone passing through the Atlanta area, and shunted through a bypass tunnel; a study should show significant relief for local Atlantan motorists on the existing freeway network. Just my thoughts. rico Reply to this
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