The Georgia Road Geek - Blogsite: Recent Comments

Comment on I-75/575 HOT Lane Plans Revived

2012-02-04T13:47:53Z

"Motor Fuel Taxes: $500,000,000". Wow - more taxes to create lanes that we will be taxed to use. The toll revenue from the I-85 project, according to SRTA, will only be used for the foreseeable future to fund the operations of the infrastructure to collect tolls (tax). A closed cycle that keeps expanding in size!

Comment on Our New England Adventure

2012-01-29T00:09:28Z

wow Steve, that's a very high honour for your brother and the family, a lot of responsibility, congratulations ..

Comment on GA 316 Upgrade Contract Awarded

2011-12-20T02:38:38Z

Informative article (the construction has begun) - I'm sick of Atlanta - were it not for work, I'd live in the Carolinas - I've lived in Greensboro, N.C. and Charlotte, N.C. both cities turned there traffic situations around. HOT lanes are the STUPIDIST idea I have seen - paying twice for roads... when will it stop?

Comment on SRTA and GDOT, What Are You Afraid Of?

2011-12-14T01:29:21Z

Let me ask you a question: How do you suggest we pay for transportation? Be specific.

I have noticed many of those complaining most loudly about solutions like HOT lanes offer no alternatives.

FACT: People are driving less, so there's less gas tax revenue, the only source in Georgia.
It's partly due to gas prices, and they're doing it in more fuel-efficient cars. Companies are doing a lot more telecommuting. Heck, I will no longer be commuting as of 2012 as my job will switch to work-from-home. Gas tax revenues are declining and the rate of decline is most likely going to increase.

FACT: This is a heavily Republican state, and the Republicans, prodded by Grover Norquist, have painted themselves into a 'never raise taxes for anything for any reason' position. Everybody hates taxes, but the fact is we need them. It's a reckless and untenable position.

FACT: Costs for building and maintaining roads have gone up dramatically in recent years due to demand from India, China, and other developing countries. They will continue to rise.

So given 1) rapidly escalating costs, 2) declining tax revenues, and 3) the lack of political will to do anything about either, what do you and others propose? Bellyaching is easy. Make some proposals for fixing things. I'd love to see them. Our legislature will never raise the gas tax, and we see from the transportation sales tax proposals that they won't do anything about issues themselves -- they try to kick everything to the voters. At some point they have to do what they were elected to do and make tough and likely politically unpopular ones.

States like Oregon at least are investigating options like mileage taxes. It may not ever work, it may not fly politically, but at least they're acknowledging the realities above and making an effort to prepare for them. What is anyone in Georgia doing? And I do mean ANYONE.

I've lived in Georgia and three other states, and I do believe Georgia has the worst state government of them. Sticking your head in the sand only works so long.

Comment on GA 316 Upgrade Contract Awarded

2011-11-15T12:42:58Z

This is the perfect lead into Tolling 316 even after we teh people squashed that idea years ago. If one takes time to notice there are Toll cameras already on 316 under the Boggs road bridge. If they are not shut down soon, SRTA and GDOT will calim that they have been there all along and since the entry/exit point from 316 was already tolled there should be no reason not to extend the toll to the Collins Hill area. Target = $$$ in Gwinnett.

Comment on SRTA and GDOT, What Are You Afraid Of?

2011-11-15T12:37:15Z

P.S. "Stolen Lanes", I would also ask SRTA what constitutes a "special case" for raising toll rates above the 90-cent-per-mile maximum.

We can ask that, although I believe they are too afraid to answer any questions. Please contact me throught the stopthehotlane.com website. I have a proposal for you.

Comment on SRTA and GDOT, What Are You Afraid Of?

2011-11-11T18:27:36Z

I don't think they are afraid, just arrogant. In their view, the contracts have been signed, the lane is operating and it is a done deal, so why would they have to explain themselves to us nobodies? The contracts for the HOT Lanes have also already been signed for I-75 and I-285, I'm sure. Even though, when "public input" was going on for the HOT Lanes, the fact that those of us who responded, were overwhelmingly against them, had no impact on the final decision to spend our tax dollars on this huge swindle perpetrated on the tax payers.

I've participated in these "citizen panels" before and it is all a sham. The plans have been made, contracts signed and the surveys done before it ever gets to the citizen input stage. These folks work in a vacuum and apparently, do not require any authorization by the folks who will actually pay for the projects and whose lives, property values and commutes will be affected by them.

Comment on I-85 HOT Lanes Backfire On SRTA

2011-11-03T23:27:12Z

This is hysterical. GA Tech, go figure... same place wher Dr. Evans was dating her intern student, Mike Spivey.

So where is the study by Jacobs Engineering and other State reports Gena? I guess young ga tech geeks know more.

"In fact, it could be even worse. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution review of hundreds of pages of documents associated with the project and interviews with outside experts shows the project is expected to increase traffic in the regular lanes in order to to keep the HOV toll lane flowing."

http://www.ajc.com/news/i-85-toll-project-1187168.html

Comment on I-85 HOT Signs and Peach Pass

2011-10-12T12:03:25Z

Peach Pass has been nothing but an inconvenience. It has turned my hour or less drive from the city to Lawrencville to hour 1/2 to 2 hours. I veto this. Everyone should jump on and fight this!!!

Comment on I-85 HOT Lanes May Make Traffic Worse

2011-10-11T12:43:47Z

This is crazy! Point blank, they did it to fatten their pockets. How is it that a state can implement such a stupid idea and fail to realize it will impact businesses, families (single parents that use the lane if you only have one child), and workers.

This HOT is impacting all working classes and especially the lower class. They already have problems driving long distances for quality jobs, then add gas prices, and now you add a toll to the HOV->HOT. Just dumbass! When will the government do what's right for people. Oh, never!