This entry was posted on 3/20/2010 3:35 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
In the summer of 2011, when the bond indebtedness for the GA 400 tollway is paid off, the tollbooths will go away... or maybe not if the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) has its way.
As for the I-85 High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes that will run along existing High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, the nearly $1.2 million PeachPass system and the existing GA 400 Cruise Card transponders will not be honored by either system (at least initially).
First, let's talk about the existing GA 400 tolls. When the tolled section between I-85 and I-285 was built, much to the chagrin of Buckhead residents who opposed it for 40 years before its completion in August of 1993, the State of Georgia had told us, the voters and taxpayers, that said tolls would be lifted once the incurred bond indebtedness was paid off. Now that we are just over one year away from payoff date, our friends at SRTA are now talking about leaving the tollbooths in place.
I don't know about you, but I am thinking more and more that our state is succumbing to "toll fever" and that SRTA wants nothing but tolls, tolls, and more tolls, and they would probably slap tolls on literally every single roadway... and even a gravel road... if they could. As for the GA 400 situation, I see it like the mortgage company forcing me to keep paying monthly on my house even after said mortgage is paid in full. GA 400 is a road that is owned by us, the people of Georgia. I have no problem with the tollbooths being there to collect money to pay off the bond, but for Pete's sake, SRTA, I urge you to tear down those tollboothsjust as Ronald Reagan stood near the Berlin Wall and urged Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down that wall!!
If you feel as strongly as I do regarding the GA 400 tollway, then I urge you, my readers, to contact SRTA and tell them that the people of Georgia do not desire to have any tolled road that was never, ever meant to be permanently tolled.
Finally, let's talk about the I-85 HOT lanes, or "Lexus lanes" as some would call them. The Georgia DOT built those HOV lanes all the way from the City of Atlanta to GA 316 in Gwinnett County as taxpayer-funded lanes, which means that we, as Georgia and Federal taxpayers, already paid for their construction. Even though SRTA said that these HOT lanes are not-for-profit, it is still, in my honest opinion, a totally ludicrous concept. I-85 itself was built as a free road with a combination of Federal and State funds. I know that our traffic here in Metro Atlanta sucks, but HOT lanes are nothing more than a "double-taxation" for property that we have already bought and paid for. SRTA and GDOT are already going "full steam ahead" on this I-85 HOT project, but let me make this perfectly clear that I will NOT be purchasing another toll transponder, thus I will NOT drive a single inch on those designated HOT lanes!!!
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That's it for now. Thanks to Kevin Trotman for forwarding me the AJC article and to y'all for reading. Please come back often.
3/20/2010 10:50 PM
JT wrote:
It's this simple...the highway trust fund is gone, the states are broke and they are desperate. They have these expensive roads to maintain with no money to do it anymore. Expect soon that those free roads you travel will be the next to be tolled by whatever means. I was reading about the crazy project to put reversible toll lanes on I-75 and I-575 and noticed how idiotic this is getting, but I imagine people will think differently if they are sitting in a solid jam on US 41 because a bridge collapsed on I-75 due to lack of maintenance. This is a sign of the times, not a sign of greed IMHO. Reply to this
3/27/2010 8:32 AM
Miss Think Right wrote:
Why should we tear down the Georgia 400 toll booth. For years residents in the State of Georgia has been trying to resolve ways to reduce crime. We have resolved that. As soon as the toll booth is paid off. The funds can be used for Georgia's largest Police agencies the Atlanta Police Department,Fulton County Sheriff Office and the Georgia State Patrols. The funds could upgrade police cars,better equipt the Officers and pay raises. How can we all resolve the State of Georgia crime level when we are afraid to pay our Officers to combat crime. I am sure 22 Million a year could resolve our problems. We should lead a path for other States to follow. For years the State of Georgia have been thinking of ways to combat crime and better equipt our Officers and how to pay them for the hard work they do. Keep the toll booth up,be proactive. Miss. Think Right Reply to this
10/19/2010 11:52 PM
Chad wrote:
Its not too hard to understand. Yes they had a contract that promised that the tolls would be cut off in 2011, but with the unexpected booming of growth in the area brought to light several new extensions and improvements that cannot be ignored. So instead of leaving it how it is and then tearing down the toll plaza (which would be an expensive ordeal in its self), the GDOT and SRTA have decided to extend the contract and make GA400 a more sustainable and efficient roadway. They have planned several extensions, ramps, lanes, etc to make the roadway run more efficiently, which can easily be afforded if the tolls were left in place for a few more years. Its not really an arguable process if you look at the facts and options that the government has. Reply to this
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