The Georgia Road Geek - Blogsite

Save Cumming's "See Rock City" Barn!

The Georgia Road Geek — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 02:02:25 GMT

How many of you remember, or have ever seen, a "See Rock City" barn along the highway?

Ever since Rock City, an iconic 80-year-old Chattanooga-area tourist attraction located on Lookout Mountain just across the Tennessee state line in Walker County, Georgia, was opened, there have been "See Rock City" barns on various highways all over the American South. These barns have been just as iconic, if not more, than Rock City itself, and are a true piece of old "Americana".

Two years ago, Ben Morris purchased some property on Atlanta Highway (GA 9) just south of Cumming, GA, in Forsyth County. This property includes an old produce stand, an old house, and a barn that was built in the 1930s. Until GA 400 was completed in 1981, GA 9 was US 19, a major highway linking Atlanta with the mountainous regions of Georgia and North Carolina.

According to Mr. Morris, who had the barn recently restored, a handyman had found that "See Rock City" previously existed on the barn's roof. As a result, Mr. Morris had the barn restored back to the iconic look. Unfortunately, the Forsyth County code enforcement officers were not impressed and he received a citation as a result. Mr. Morris does plan to fight this citation.

Early this evening after enjoying a nice dinner in Cumming, I decided to drive over to Mr. Morris's barn and get some photos for posterity. Here's one my wife Mary took of me posing in front of the barn...

In my honest opinion, Forsyth County is intruding on the rights and freedoms of a landowner who only wanted to restore a barn to it's original iconic image. Mind you, I have no problem with enforcing code violations such as junky cars, extremely tall grass, or a structure that has become a total eyesore and results in the degradation of property values in the vicinity. However, I fail to see where this barn would be an eyesore and Forsyth County should just drop the charges and leave this barn alone. Frankly, for all I care, he could've painted anything on this barn and it wouldn't bother me one bit. It's his property and Mr Morris has done a really nice job with this barn.

Here's an idea... let's e-mail, call, or fax the Forsyth County Code Enforcement Department. After I complete writing and posting this blog, I will immediately send an e-mail to Steve Zaring, the department's supervisor. If you also feel that they need to leave the barn alone and drop the charges against Mr. Morris, then I encourage you to contact them as well.

If you wish to see this barn up close and in person, here are directions from Atlanta...

- US 19/GA 400 north to Exit 13 (GA 141).
- Turn left on GA 141.
- Turn right on GA 9 (Atlanta Highway) toward Cumming.
- Go past Billy Howell Ford/Lincoln and the Lakewood/400 Antique Market.
- The "See Rock City" barn is located on the right side of GA 9 just past Lakewood/400. (There is a parking lot near the barn. It is a business, however, so if you do visit, then please do so respectfully and briefly.)

Finally, I know that I haven't blogged near as much as I used to, but I do regularly post stuff on the GRG Facebook page, which I hope you "like". I've also created a new Instagram page for posting newer road pics from the road. Please be assured that I will post blogs whenever I get the urge to blog about something road-related that I believe in and that I always appreciate your support.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading and "liking" our Facebook and Instagram pages and please come back often.

SOURCE: "See Rock City" Barn Leads To Dispute, WXIA-TV (11 Alive), Atlanta, GA, April 5, 2013.

I-85 HOT Lane Prices Keep Going Up and Up

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 01:54:47 GMT

This morning, the variable toll on the southbound I-85 High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes went up to a new all time high... $6.35 for driving the entire length. Here's the story from Atlanta's WSB-TV....

Have you ever heard the saying "There's a sucker born every minute"? These so-called "Lexus Lanes" make me want to add the additional phrase "... and fleeced by the mile".

Why anyone would want to pay to use these formerly-free lanes is still beyond me, but then again, it's your choice to use or not to use them. My main problem with them is that these lanes, which were built using taxpayer dollars, were taken away from us. If they were new lanes, such as the newly-opened I-495 Express Lanes in Virginia, then I would've given the idea more support.

Regretfully, Georgia's I-85 HOT Lanes are here to stay. However, it is my hope that we can pull together and keep the Georgia DOT (GDOT) and State Road and Tollway Authority from converting the remainder of the High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes or any other lanes taxpayers already paid for.

So when will the toll hit $7.00? I wouldn't be surprised if that happened soon. Regardless of the toll amount, I won't be riding them anytime soon. If nothing else, it's not part of my daily commute. US 19/GA 400, on the other hand, is part of my daily commute to-and-from my "real job" and I hope that GDOT and SRTA keeps the non-tolled section totally free... period.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading, please "like" us on Facebook, get our "tweets", and please come back soon.

So Where Does I-985 Really End?

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 01:36:01 GMT

Just before the end of last month, I took a trip up to Gainesville from Atlanta to attend an evening meeting.

For the first time in 2 years, I had driven up I-985 and noticed that the Georgia DOT (GDOT) had replaced most all the big green signage with MUTCD-standard signs, including right-tabbed exit signs.

All the milepost signage along I-985 was replaced with ones showing the route number and direction. Each of the new signs were in one-mile and half-mile increments.

According to the GDOT HERO coverage map, the southernmost section of I-985 from I-85 in Gwinnett County to Spout Springs Road (Exit 12) in Hall County is patrolled by their HERO motorist assistance units. However, these particular milepost signs exist all the way up I-985 to its northernmost end at US 129 North/GA 369 (Jesse Jewell Parkway/Exit 24)... and then some as shown in the photo below...

This particular sign, which I photographed "on the fly" using my smartphone, was located one mile north of Exit 24, the northernmost exit of I-985.

So where does I-985 really end?

According to the official Georgia highway map, I-985 ends at Exit 24 as shown below...

Source: Official Georgia Highway Map, 2011-2012, Georgia Department of Transportation

The first time I "clinched" I-985 in 1991, there were "END I-985/END ACCESS CONTROL" signs posted once you passed the ramp for Exit 24, but such signage had long since disappeared.

From this picture taken by fellow road enthusiast Alex Nitzman and posted on his AARoads Interstate Guide page for I-985, the highway is signed as US 23/GA 365 North just past Exit 24...

SOURCE: AARoads Interstate Guide I-985 Page.

Since I-985 does indeed end past Exit 24, why did GDOT put a milepost sign with I-985 one mile north of the Interstate's end? For that matter, why does GDOT not place a new "END I-985/END ACCESS CONTROL" sign at the Interstate's actual end? Inquiring minds want to know.

If I were to do the actual sign placement, I would use a yellow diamond "END FREEWAY" (or "FREEWAY ENDS") sign and place the warning not only at its actual end, but also at one-mile and half-mile intervals before the actual end so as to warn motorists. Here's a sample taken from the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Standard Highway Signs...

Despite my criticism of the sign error in question and the lack of ending designation for I-985, I do applaud GDOT for taking the time to place MUTCD-compliant big green signage along this particular Interstate and hope that they will continue to do so.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading, please "like" us on Facebook, subscribe to our Twitter feed, and we'll see you down the road!!!

Will GA 400 Tolls Finally End?!!!

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 15:01:51 GMT

This week, Georgia's drivers received some good news from Governor Nathan Deal... THE GEORGIA 400 TOLLS WILL END!!!

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the current set of bonds that the State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) authorized for the additional 10 years of funding can be paid off as early as December 1, 2013, without incurring a penalty.

Please note, however, that the SRTA board must officially approve this matter... and I strongly encourage them to do so!!!

As for the timing of this announcement, it should be noted that on July 31st, Georgians will go to the polls to vote on the Transportation Special Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST).

In recent months, the T-SPLOST has met opposition from groups ranging from local "Tea Parties" to local NAACP chapters, groups that do not usually see eye-to-eye on most issues. In the case of the T-SPLOST, there is skepticism that the tax revenue generated by this extra penny will not be spent wisely on either roads or transit.

Even politicians of the same party are split on the issue. For example, Governor Deal and State Senator Chip Rogers, both Republicans, disagree with each other. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and State Senator Vincent Fort , both Democrats, disagree with each other as well. Deal and Reed are "pro-T-SPLOST", while Rogers and Fort are "anti-T-SPLOST".

Since Governor Deal and Mayor Reed support T-SPLOST, it could be said that the GA 400 toll announcement's motive was to convince voters that the State of Georgia will indeed keep promises, and they are promising that a "yes" vote on T-SPLOST will deliver results to Georgians.

Regardless of the motive, I will be very happy to see the GA 400 tolls go away. After all, the GA 400 extension from I-285 to I-85 was not meant to be a toll road in perpetuity.

Thank you, Governor Deal, for making that announcement, and kudos to Dr. Gena Evans for finally listening to the people. I'm not sure if T-SPLOST will pass, but the end of GA 400's toll is at least a step in the right direction and I'm looking forward to driving a totally untolled GA 400 in the future!

One more thing... the GRG Facebook page is close to 150 "likes", and I thank all my fellow Facebookers for doing so. Please encourage all your Facebook friends to "like" us as well and thanks in advance for your efforts.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading and please visit often.

KKK Wants To Keep Georgia's Roads "Klean"

The Georgia Road Geek — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:11:15 GMT

This week, a Ku Klux Klan (KKK) group applied to the Georgia DOT's "Adopt-A-Highway" program to "kleanup" a stretch of US 76/GA 2/515 (Zell Miller Mountain Parkway) in Union County. GDOT sent the Klan this letter of denial.

After receiving the denial, the International Keystone Knights of the KKK has asked the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to assist them in their efforts to adopt Union County's westernmost mile of 515.

Per Georgia DOT's "Adopt-A-Highway" guidelines, "any civic-minded organization, business, individual, family, city, county, state, or federal agency is welcome to volunteer". Does the Klan fall under such guidelines? I think not!!!

This morning, I viewed their website (I will not provide a link) and found a section that contains blatantly racist jokes and photos against non-white people. No civic group worth their salt would post such crap (or use the "n-word") on their websites or any other publication.

As a result of the Klan's recent application, GDOT is reviewing it's "Adopt-A-Highway" guidelines, is not accepting any new applications, and is returning any applications that are in the "review" stage.

Here in my local community, I am a member of a local Lions Club, a nearly 100-year-old organization that is dedicated to the health and well-being of all citizens, regardless of race, color, religion, etc. Never have I heard of a Lions Club engaging in (or inciting) activities against any particular group of people. Sadly, we currently are unable to adopt any stretch of GDOT-maintained highway, thanks to the KKK.

So how can we keep Georgia's highways clean in the meantime? IMHO, the answer lies in Georgia's state prisons and local jails. Put more inmates (at least those classified as "non-violent") to work picking up trash. We already pay taxes to keep them incarcerated. It would be a nice "return-on-investment" to organize them into supervised work details and have them "earn their keep" and pay their proverbial debt to society by keeping our state and local roads clean.

Frankly, if I had to choose between spending tax dollars in litigation between the Klan and GDOT and eliminating the "Adopt-A-Highway" program, I'd prefer the latter. Again, we've got a potential labor pool in Georgia's prisons and jails. Let's use them to keep our roads clean. As for the KKK, I have absolutely no use for them and life's way to short to go "hating" on folks.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading, visit our Facebook and Twitter pages, and please come back often.

SOURCES:

- "DOT Rejects Klan Application To Adopt Highway, Legal Challenge Likely", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 12, 2012

- Georgia DOT "Adopt-A-Highway" Website

The US 411 Connector Saga Continues

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 26 May 2012 16:54:21 GMT

Last weekend, Mary and I went up to her family's place near Summerville, Georgia, for her late father's annual family reunion and church homecoming.

During that weekend, we made a brief daytrip down US 27/GA 1 (a.k.a. "Martha Berry Highway") to Rome to pick up some supplies for her mother and do a little sightseeing and driving around.

We took several photos around the area, including one of the Capitoline Wolf/Romulus and Remus statue that Benito Mussolini donated to Rome, Georgia, in 1929 as a token of friendship between Italy and the U.S.

Just after World War II began, the statue was removed and stored in a secret location due to prevailing anti-Italian sentiment. In 1952, the statue was placed in its current location and has been there since. For more information on the statue and its history, please click here.

While I didn't do any "roadgeeking" in the area since we had to get back up to the farm, I did think about the proposed US 411 Connector and lamented on why it has not been built yet.

The next morning, I picked up my mother-in-law's copy of the Rome News-Tribune, and lo-and-behold, there was a new front page article on the connector.

For those of you who may not have heard of this project, here's a brief history...

In the early 1960s, the Georgia DOT (GDOT) built a 20-mile (32 km) 4-lane divided highway between Rome and US 41/GA 3 near Cartersville. US 411 was rerouted from its old route (current GA 293) onto this new route, which was also designated GA 344. In the late 1970s, the GA 344 designation was dropped and GA 20 was rerouted onto it, resulting in the current US 411/GA 20 we know today.

Since at least the 1980s, there has been a proposal to extend this highway eastward from US 41 to I-75, thus giving Rome a direct 4-lane connection to Atlanta. Several routes have been proposed and evaluated by GDOT, and in 2009, GDOT selected a route known as "Route D-VE".

"Route D-VE" is a proposed limited-access 4-lane divided highway that would start at the eastern end of the 411 4-lane and end at I-75 at its interchange with GA 20 (Exit 290). Please click here for a map.

So what is keeping this road from being built? It's not so much what as it is who... the Rollins Family!!!

The easternmost 2 miles (3.2 km) of the proposed highway goes through Dobbins Mountain, a property that the Rollinses own. The Rollinses claim that the road would do environmental damage and destroy the old "historic" Dobbins Mine, where manganese was mined from just after the Civil War through the 1940s. They also claim that the Cherokee Darter fish and Pink Ladyslipper flower were not properly accounted for in an environmental impact statement GDOT submitted to the Federal government.

In the meantime, the Rollinses donated an easement on their property to the City of Euharlee as a "wildlife refuge" and have invited various environmental groups to tour the property. On the surface, this sounds like a very noble thing, but IMHO, the Rollinses are manipulating as many people and groups as possible to keep the highway off their property.

The Rollinses have also been challenging "Route D-VE" in court and claiming that at least 2 other alternate routes would be better. One of them, designated as "Route A", would use existing US 411, US 41, and GA 20 right-of-way with a bypass being built just north of the existing and antiquated US 41 and US 411 interchange near downtown Cartersville. This route would technically eliminate a "bottleneck" that traffic between Atlanta and Rome currently uses, but it would still keep traffic on US 41, which is riddled with traffic lights. Nearly 3 years ago, I traveled this segment myself and it seemed like it took forever to get to the US 411 4-lane. Furthermore, in 2005, GDOT determined that "Route A" would displace more homes and businesses, not to mention that it would do nothing to alleviate the existing congestion encountered on Cartersville's stretch of US 41.

The other route, known as "Route G" would build a new 4-lane extension from the existing 411 4-lane to a point north of the I-75/GA 20 interchange. However, it would be too far out of the way to make any kind of difference in travel time.

As a roadgeek and Georgia motorist, I'm getting sick and tired of the unnecessary drama over this much needed Atlanta-to-Rome link and just wish that the Rollins family would admit that they only care about how much money (or lack thereof) that GDOT is offering them for their property. The route, D-VE, has been chosen, it has passed environmental muster, and plans have already been drawn up. All GDOT needs to do is buy the land and start building. Rollinses, you got a boatload of money as it is and could buy property anywhere you'd desire, so quit your "bellyaching", drop the lawsuits, sell the property to GDOT, and let them finally build this much-needed and way overdue Atlanta-to-Rome connection. I'd love to be there to see GDOT and local officials break the first dirt on the first day of construction and cut the ribbon on the final opening.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading, hope you have a happy and safe Memorial Day holiday, and please come back often.

SOURCE: "Extended Review For US 411 Connector", Rome News-Tribune, May 20, 2012.

I-285 Speed Limit To Increase

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:52:34 GMT

Since 1974, when President Richard Nixon signed the National Maximum Speed Limit (NMSL) bill, Atlanta's Perimeter (I-285) has had a 55 MPH speed limit. Before the NMSL, I-285's speed limit was 70 MPH (and 60 MPH for trucks IIRC).

When all Federally-mandated maximum speed limits were repealed in 1995 as part of the National Highway System Designation Act, the Georgia DOT raised speed limits on suburban Interstates and certain rural non-Interstate divided highways to 65 MPH. Regretfully, I-285's speed limit was not changed. But that's about to change.

This week, GDOT announced that they will, indeed, increase the speed limit on I-285 to 65 MPH. As part of the change, there will be changeable speed limit signs added as well. However, there is no "timetable" as to when GDOT will make the changes.

As a frequent driver of I-285, especially the "top-end" section, I welcome the change and think the 65 MPH is a reasonable speed limit, given that it is a suburban Interstate. What I would like to know, however, is why GDOT says that they will make the change but have no "timetable".

The simplest way that GDOT can make the change is to have "65" stickers printed and placed over the "55" on the existing speed limit signs. GDOT, if you're reading this (and I bet you are), please take the "Nike" approach and "just do it"... period. Motorists, including myself, appreciate the fact y'all are going to make the change (albeit long overdue), and we'll be even more appreciative when you "git 'r done" (with apologies to Larry The Cable Guy).

What do you, dear readers, think about this change? Please feel free to post your comments accordingly. In the meantime, that's it for now. If you haven't checked out our Facebook page for more Georgia road news, then please do so. Oh... and you can also follow us on Twitter.

To our Jewish readers, may you have a Happy Passover, and to our Christian readers, may you have a Happy Easter. Thanks for reading and please come back often.

SOURCE: "Speed Limit to be Raised on I-285", FOX 5 Atlanta (WAGA-TV), April 3, 2012

I-85/GA 400 Ramp Construction Finally Begins

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 02:55:41 GMT

According to an article published this week in the Atlanta Business Chronicle, construction is finally beginning on 2 new ramps at the I-85/GA 400 interchange in Atlanta's affluent Buckhead community.

One will be a "flyover" to connect GA 400 southbound with I-85 northbound. The other ramp will connect I-85 southbound with GA 400 northbound.

Currently, those travelling down GA 400 or I-85's respective southbound lanes one must navigate Lenox Road, Buford Highway (GA 13) and Sidney Marcus Boulevard to go between these 2 major freeways' opposite directions. This needlessly adds too much traffic to these three surface streets, interferes with local traffic, and creates major "bottlenecks" in the process... especially during rush hour.

Last year, GDOT awarded the $21,500,000 project to Archer Western Contractors. Said funds are coming from toll revenues collected before GDOT and SRTA renewed the GA 400 tolls for another 10-year period.

When the 6 mile (10 km) GA 400 extension from I-85 to I-285 was being constructed in the early 1990s, GDOT could've added the ramps as part of the process, but failed to do so. Since the 1970s, Atlanta's traffic was getting worse and worse by the day and GDOT surely must've known that. Perhaps if the extra ramps were built at the time, the cost may have been somewhat less. For that matter, it would not have provided SRTA and GDOT any excuse for continuing the tolls after promising to drop them after the original GA 400 bonds were paid off.

In any event, I'm happy to see that the sorely-needed ramps are indeed being built and look forward to the day they are opened.

Want to see what they will look like? Then please watch this video from "Livable Buckhead"...

As Looney Tunes would say, "That's All, Folks!" Thanks for reading, don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour this weekend for Daylight Savings Time, and please come back often.

What About Ponce de Leon's Potholes?

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 17:02:45 GMT

On March 1st, the Georgia DOT (GDOT) announced $20,000,000 worth of various road and bridge projects let statewide.

Interestingly enough, there are no Metro Atlanta projects on the master list (please click here for the list).

Recently, Atlanta's CBS 46 "Pothole Patrol" pointed out the sad situation of potholes on the stretch of Ponce de Leon Avenue (US 29/78/278/GA 8/10) in East Atlanta. Please click here to watch the video entitled "Ponce de Pothole".

While I'm cool with GDOT spreading money across the state to help fix existing transportation infrastructure (including replacing antiquated bridges with sturdy new structures), I have to wonder why they have allowed Ponce de Leon Avenue (a.k.a. "Ponce") to become a plethora of potholes over the past several years.

Given that Ponce is not just a city street, but a state highway... and a very well-traveled one at that... shouldn't said thoroughfare be given a little more priority than it has been? Don't get me wrong; all Georgia highways should be maintained as well as possible, but it seems to me that GDOT is giving Ponce the "short shrift" by doing no more than putting proverbial "Band-Aids" on it (e.g. pothole filling). Granted that our tax dollars may not be quite as plentiful, but IMHO some roads should get a little higher priority if they have become hazardous to drivers. Any road with a plethora of potholes should be fixed, and that, dear reader, would be an extremely wise use of our tax dollars!!!

My hope is that "Ponce" will one day no longer be called "Ponce de Pothole" and that drivers would not have to treat it as an obstacle course. As much as folks aren't exactly "warm and fuzzy" about taxes, auto repairs (e.g. realignments) tend to suck the bucks out of our bank accounts as well.

Have you driven on Ponce lately? Do you use Ponce as part of your daily commute to and from your job? What are your thoughts? Please feel free to share them either in the comments section of this blog or via our Facebook page.

And finally, thanks to fellow Atlanta-area roadgeek Bryant Anderson at "Southern Roadgeek" for bringing this to my attention. Bryant also has his own blog, Twitter, and videos, as well as his own Facebook page, all of which are extremely worth reading, subscribing to, and "liking".

That's it for now. Thanks for reading, have a great weekend, and please visit often.

I-75/575 HOT Lane Plans Revived

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:50:17 GMT

It's baaaaaaack.

That's right, dear readers. The plan to build high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on I-75 and I-575 in Cobb and Cherokee Counties is back.

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and several legislators have proposed that the state provide an additional $300,000,000 in taxpayer funds that otherwise would have been provided through a public-private partnership (P3).

The estimated costs of these new HOT lanes is approximately $870,000,000, which would come from the following sources...

Motor Fuel Taxes: $500,000,000 (was $200,000,000 under the P3 plan)
Loan From Federal Government: $270,000,000
Bonds: $100,000,000

The Georgia DOT (GDOT), however, would still have to approve this latest incarnation.

Unlike the I-85 HOT lanes, these would be brand new reversible lanes built alongside the existing Interstates. However, given that these lanes would be paid for primarily using our tax dollars, I would much rather see these lanes being built as high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes instead of so-called "Lexus lanes" that would essentially make them "rich people's" lanes for solo drivers.

If said lanes are truly about congestion reduction, it would be much wiser IMHO to make them "HOV-2" (one driver, plus one or more passengers) that would allow carpools, buses (e.g. GRTA Xpress), motorcycles, emergency vehicles, and alternative-fueled vehicles (e.g. natural gas-powered cars).

So far, there's no mention of the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA), but it's a sure-fire bet that their hands would definitely be involved in this whole deal as the state's tolling agency... and as SRTA has already shown us with GA 400 and the I-85 HOT lanes, they looooove to take our hard-earned money and give us the shaft.

If anyone at GDOT is reading this blog, then I urge you to listen to Georgia's drivers and reject this project altogether. All drivers, regardless of income level, race, creed, color, etc., deserve an equal opportunity to use Georgia's highways and making people pay to use lanes that their tax dollars already paid for amounts to "double taxation".

Governor Deal and GDOT, I thank you very much for rejecting the prior I-75/I-575 P3 proposal. Please, however, go one step further and reject the toll option altogether.

If you, dear Georgia readers, wish to contact GDOT and urge them to put the brakes on HOT lanes altogether, then please click here.

Please also let your elected officials in the Georgia General Assembly know as well. To find your State Senator and/or Representative, please click here.

Bottom line is this... HOT lanes are a bad idea. They really don't help congestion and are a colossal waste of taxpayer money. However, we, the people can work together to throw cold water on the HOT lanes and assure that any and all transportation plans can be tailored to benefit all Georgians. If anyone wants to build a toll road, then they are more than welcome to pay for it themselves (raise capital, purchase right-of-way, design, build, and maintain), market it to drivers, and assume the responsibility for their private road just like you would if you opened your own business.

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

SOURCE: "Plan Would Fund I-75/I-575 Toll Project", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 2, 2012

Our New England Adventure

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:43:57 GMT

A week-and-a-half ago, Mary and I traveled to the New England area to see my little brother Chris assume command of the USS Springfield in a formal ceremony at the U.S. Submarine Base in Groton/New London, Connecticut.

My brother, Commander Chris Williams, and I in Connecticut
(Photo By Mary Williams)

The Williams Family at the Naval Submarine Library and Museum in Groton, CT.
(Photo By Amy Rossetti)

During our brief stay in Connecticut, we also found some time to do a little touring around Groton, New London, and Mystic, plus a jaunt up to the Mohegan Sun Casino to celebrate Chris's new assignment over dinner at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville.

Given our time constraints, Mary and I decided to fly Delta from Atlanta to Boston and then rent a car to drive down to Groton, approximately 100 miles (160 km) south of Boston just off I-95 near the Rhode Island state line.

Roadgeek-wise, I got to drive through part of Boston's famous "Big Dig", the Ted Williams Tunnel (I-90/Massachusetts Turnpike), which was a $3.50 toll for drivers heading into Boston from Logan International Airport.

Speaking of the toll, the vehicle in front of us was stopped at the plaza for at least 5 minutes, causing traffic to queue up. After he finally pulled off and it was my turn to pay the toll, the "Mass Pike" collector explained to me that the guy was German and apparently did not realize that this was a toll road, so she waved him through. I remarked that though I was from Georgia, I knew there was a toll. We didn't exactly have a long chat, since I didn't want to hold up traffic any longer, but I thought it was kinda funny. Hopefully, the poor guy got off the "Mass Pike" before he got to another plaza, which may not have been quite as charitable to him as the nice lady at the Ted Williams plaza.

On our way to Groton, I got to drive the southernmost 16 miles (26 km) of I-93 and the southernmost 12 miles (19 km) of I-95 in Massachusetts, and "clinch" all 43.5 miles (70 km) of I-95 in Rhode Island. I also "clinched" 3 Massachusetts counties (Bristol, Norfolk, and Suffolk), 3 Rhode Island counties (Kent, Providence, and Washington), and one (1) Connecticut county (New London).

During our 3-day stay in Connecticut, I drove a total of 24 miles (38 km) of I-95, plus drive the southernmost 9.5 miles (15 km) of I-395.

In Connecticut, I noticed a lot of "button-copy" signage and how several of the signs showed "outlined" route markers. Connecticut also likes to put the exit tabs in the center, as opposed to on the right (or left for left-hand exits) as per MUTCD standards. Here's a photo I took of one of the overhead gantries on I-95 southbound near Groton...

Like Georgia did until 2000, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island number their exits sequentially instead of by milepost.

For those of you who are fans of state names within Interstate shields, Connecticut is your place, since most of their signpost-mounted Interstate shields are of that "old-school" type (similar to how Georgia does it). Here's one of them (with "yours truly") near the Old Mistick Village...

Above photo taken by Mary Williams.

On I-395 southbound, just south of the Mohegan Sun Casino, I noticed a rest area with a Mobil gas station. Since non-tolled Interstates do not normally allow commercial businesses in rest areas, it is apparently a holdout from when I-395 was part of the pre-1985 Connecticut Turnpike toll road (now known as the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike).

Last Saturday, I drove back to Boston from Groton... in 100 miles of snowy highways.

Before we could leave, I had to dig the car out of snow before leaving our hotel in Mystic...

Above photo taken by Mary Williams.

After digging out the car and hitting the snowy, slippery road to Boston, Mary took several more photos along our journey.

Here's how I-95 northbound looked in Connecticut...

I-95 in Rhode Island wasn't much different as shown below...

As we approached I-93 in Massachusetts, the plows were in force and the roads were a lot clearer as shown in the final "winter road" photo below...

In Massachusetts, we noticed that several of the plows working along the roads were private contractors. Perhaps GDOT could take note next time we get another "snowmageddon".

By the time we arrived at our hotel in Boston after being on the road for at least 4 hours, I was not exactly smiling as I was in the photo where I was digging out the car. In fact, it was one of those rare moments where I was just freakin' sick and tired of driving. This was the longest I have ever driven in crappy winter weather. BTW, I think I've changed my mind on pursuing a career in ice road trucking.

The next morning, it was bright, sunny, and I-93 and I-90 were nice and clear of snow and ice on our way to Logan Airport to drop off the rental car and catch our flight back to Atlanta... and milder weather.

Overall, we had a nice experience in New England, got to see my brother (and even tour his boat), see some sights, drive more Interstates, and "clinch" more counties. Next time, I'd like to visit the area in the warmer months and drive the rest of Boston's "Big Dig".

That's it for now. Thanks for reading, enjoy the rest of your weekend, and please come back often.

GA 400 Breakdown Lane Could Become Travel Lane

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:52:54 GMT

Hi, Y'all!

Hope your new year has gotten off to a good start and that all is well with you and yours.

Here are GRG HQ, I haven't been blogging as much as I had been over the last 6 years, and since it's been at least a month since I've written a blog, I figured it was time to get off my butt and do so.

In most recent Georgia road news, Governor Nathan Deal is proposing that a section of breakdown lane on US 19/GA 400 from the North Springs MARTA Station (Exit 5C) to Holcomb Bridge Road/GA 140 (Exit 7) be converted to a regular travel lane during rush hour.

Right now, the breakdown lane in question already serves as an auxiliary bus travel lane for MARTA and GRTA Xpress buses to use when traffic is going slower than 35 MPH (60 km/h). Otherwise, it is designed strictly for vehicles that need to get off the road due to accidents or breakdowns and for emergency vehicles to use when they are rushing to a scene.

On the surface, it seems like a good idea (and it least it doesn't involve tolls), but what about emergency vehicles that need to get to a scene (e.g. traffic accident)? If traffic on 400 is slammed (and boy, it can get slammed), then response times could seriously be affected. Depending on the extent of injuries, mere seconds could be the difference between life and death. Furthermore, how are you going to route traffic around accidents that cannot move off the road? The variable message signs can warn drivers at certain points to avoid the congested section in question, but for those who have unfortunately been caught up the mess by no fault of their own, it could be a potential logistical nightmare.

GDOT estimates the cost of converting the total of 11.5 miles (18.4 km) of existing lanes in question at US$1,000,000, versus US$3,000,000/mile (US$1,875,000/km). Frankly, I would prefer that the lanes be converted with new breakdown lanes added. Granted it would cost much more to add new lanes, but as a taxpayer, I would much rather see my tax dollars spent on doing the job properly.

As an additional alternative, perhaps GDOT could consider building at least a couple of shorter stretches of emergency lane to the right of the lanes for the purposes of mitigating any bottleneck potential. Said lanes could be built using asphalt instead of concrete to save some money. Just a thought.

What are your thoughts on this idea? Please feel free to post them in the comments section.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading, please visit (and "like") the GRG Facebook page, and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

SOURCE: "Governor's GA 400 Plan Sparks Alarm", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 14, 2012.

I-75/575 HOT Lane Plans Stopped

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:22:04 GMT

To those of us who aren't too happy with GDOT/SRTA "Lexus Lanes", it seems that Santa Claus came a little bit early this week, as the plans for High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes on I-75 and I-575 in Cobb and Cherokee Counties were stopped... at least for now.

Could it be that thousands of Georgia's drivers, including "yours truly", aren't too tickled about HOT lanes and that our elected officials are (perhaps) finally getting the picture? I'm not so sure, but our friend Chris Haley at "Stolen Lanes" tends to think so... and I like his assessment. Please click here to see his interview on CBS Atlanta 46.

On the south side of Metro Atlanta, there are similar plans for I-75 in Clayton and Henry Counties. Hopefully, these will suffer the same fate as their northern counterparts, but we shall see.

For now, I'm thankful for the fact that we aren't going to see any more "Lexus Lanes" here in Georgia anytime soon. Yes, traffic in Metro Atlanta sucks, but we need solutions that will be beneficial to all drivers, regardless of income, race, color, etc.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading, please visit (and "like") our Facebook page, and please subscribe to our Twitter page.

... and may you and yours have a very happy and safe holiday season!!!

Jammin' Down I-20 To Covington!

The Georgia Road Geek — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 02:30:45 GMT

Yesterday, as Mary and I were daytrippin' down I-20 to The Blue Willow Inn in Social Circle, Georgia, I shot some video for my latest "ROADGEEK-CAM!!!".

I didn't quite film it to Social Circle, but I got darn near close.

After several hours of editing work and "burning the midnight oil" at Georgia Road Geek Studios, here's the finished product...

Hope you enjoy the video, thanks in advance for watching, and please come back soon.

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

The Georgia Road Geek — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 01:21:09 GMT

Please click here for a special recorded Thanksgiving message.

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Which GA Highway Was Named For a "Poppy Lady"?

The Georgia Road Geek — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:54:07 GMT

Today, let us pause for a moment to remember those who serve, have served, and have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

At the end of World War I in 1918, Moina Michael, a native of Good Hope, Georgia, located in Walton County between Monroe and Athens, became an advocate for disabled veterans and decided to sell poppies to raise funds for assisting them. As a result, Ms. Michael was known as "The Poppy Lady" and the poppy became a lasting symbol for honoring veterans. To read more about Ms. Michael, please click here.

Ms. Michael died in 1944 and was buried in the Walton County seat of Monroe, Georgia. Please click here to see her grave.

In 1969, the Georgia General Assembly designated the 25-mile (40 km) stretch of US 78/GA 10 between Monroe and Athens as the "Moina Michael Highway".

Whenever you travel this particular stretch of highway, please think about Ms. Michael and how she unselfishly served those who served our nation. You and I may not be a "Moina Michael", but the least we can do is thank those family members, friends, and co-workers who have served, or continue to serve, our great nation in the active, National Guard, and reserve components of the U.S. military.

That's it for now. Thanks again to all our veterans and those currently serving our great nation and have a great day!

SRTA and GDOT, What Are You Afraid Of?

The Georgia Road Geek — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:58:17 GMT

Today, Chris Haley of "Stop Peach Pass" sent me an e-mail to announce the formation of "Stolen Lanes" (stolenlanes.org), an alliance of Chris with Victor Ramkissoon ("Against The Georgia Peach Pass") and Howard Rodgers of "Stop The HOT Lane!").

Next Thursday (November 17th) at 7:00 PM in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville, the group will host a town hall meeting to discuss the I-85 HOT lane issue. (Please see the "Stolen Lanes" website for more info.)

On behalf of the "Stolen Lanes" coalition, Chris has extended an offer to both the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) and the Georgia DOT to discuss this matter in a moderated environment, but both groups have declined as of the writing of this blog.

I applaud the efforts of the coalition in their efforts and have to wonder what both SRTA and GDOT (especially SRTA) are afraid of.

SRTA, if you are so adamant that the HOT lanes are a great thing for Georgia, then why shy away? Seems to me that it is implying that the HOT lanes are simply a money-making deal that amounts to little more than socioeconomic discrimination, hence the term "Lexus Lane".

If SRTA and GDOT truly care about the people of Georgia, then they would send representatives to hear the concerns of the people and work with them to come up with some kind of solution. Chris has extended an "olive branch" to you, thus I, as a taxpaying citizen of Georgia, urge you to accept it and take advantage of this "face-to-face" opportunity.

Finally, I urge all my readers to support the "Stolen Lanes" coalition and help put a stop to the HOT lanes. Traffic solutions should be tailored to helping all Georgians, and charging to travel in "Lexus Lanes" is definitely not the solution.

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

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.

SRTA, What Is A "Special Case"?

The Georgia Road Geek — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 02:23:59 GMT

This week, the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) issued its 100,000th Peach Pass for the controversial I-85 HOT lanes.

Toll rates for those who use these HOT lanes can range from 10 to 90 cents per mile (6.25 to 56.25 cents per kilometer). However, SRTA can raise the maximum toll rate above the 90-cent level in "special cases".

So what constitutes a "special case"? The SRTA Peach Pass site doesn't list what special cases are. If any of our dear friends at SRTA could give us a little more detail (which I doubt they would), then that would be great, mmkay? (With apologies to Bill Lumbergh.)

Here's how I see it...

SRTA is sorta like your "friendly-neighborhood" crack cocaine salesman. You get a nice sample of said salesman's wares for little or nothing. As soon as you get hooked on said substance, said salesman has got you as a customer and can start charging you more-and-more. Said salesman may determine that the current price increase is due to a "special case", which, of course, means you have to shell out even more money.

Right now, if you're one of the first 300,000 new Peach Pass customers for the I-85 HOT lanes, you get your pass free. Doesn't seem like a bad deal, huh? Well, since SRTA has you "hooked" on their product (e.g. Peach Pass), nothing theoretically stops them from charging you more-and-more, up to (and including) the so-called "special case" rate, whatever that may be. Oh... and did I mention that the HOT lanes (former free HOV-2 lanes) and the Peach Pass tolling system were paid for by our tax dollars? Each time a Peach Pass driver with fewer than 3 people in their vehicle (including driver) uses the HOT lanes, said driver is paying even more of their hard-earned money to pay for this proverbial real estate (lanes and tolling system equipment) over-and-over-and-over.

SRTA did one great job, however, in constantly congratulating themselves over this whole HOT lane mess. Since no one else I know of (including "yours truly") is exactly celebrating, I guess Gena and her SRTA minions have no other choice, do they?

For now, I'll step down from my "soapbox". In the meantime, I encourage all my fellow anti-HOT lane compatriots to keep on fighting the good fight.

Don't forget to turn your clocks back one hour tonight before going to bed, thanks for reading, and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

SOURCE: "100,000th Peach Pass issued for controversial HOT lanes", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 3, 2011.

GA 316 Upgrade Contract Awarded

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:51:16 GMT

Yesterday (Thursday), the Georgia DOT announced that as part of "RoadWorks2011", G.P.'s Enterprises, Inc., of Auburn, Georgia, has been awarded a $37,000,000 contract to upgrade about 2.2 miles (3.6 km) of Georgia 316 (a.k.a. "University Parkway") from the Georgia 120 interchange to Collins Hill Road and Georgia 20/124 (a.k.a. "Buford Drive") in Lawrenceville to a limited-access highway (GDOT Project ID 0004086).

Since Collins Hill Road and Buford Drive are spaced so close together, there will be a "collector-distributor" (C/D) ramp system to separate traffic going to (and coming from) both roads from mainline 316 through traffic, similar to the C/D setup GDOT built on I-85 from Pleasant Hill Road to GA 316, Sugarloaf Parkway, and GA 120.

The project will also include High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on 316 from I-85 to Hi-Hope Road, just east of GA 20/124. Hopefully, given the controversy over the new I-85 HOT lanes, they will be "HOV-2" (2 persons per vehicle, including driver) and no tolls will be charged... but I'll believe it when I see it.

As early as at least the 1960s, the plan was to have an Atlanta-to-Athens Interstate-style freeway, but only the first 5 miles (9 km) of 316 was built as a freeway. In 1981, the segment from GA 120 to US 29/GA 8 (Winder Highway) was opened, and the final segments between Winder Highway and the Athens Perimeter (GA 10 Loop/422) in Oconee County were fully completed and open to traffic in 1995. With the exception of the interchange with US 78/GA 10, the highway was built as an "at-grade" surface road and subsequently riddled with traffic lights... especially in Gwinnett County.

IMHO, GDOT had the opportunity and the means (including funding, which is now not as plentiful as it used to be due to more fuel efficient vehicles) to "go the distance" and build 316 as a full-blown Interstate-style limited-access highway. Thanks to the shortsightedness of those who planned 316's extension over the last 30 years, we now have what I consider to be a sub-standard (and hazardous, in parts) highway that will require even more of our tax dollars to upgrade.

If you are on Facebook, and feel that 316 should be upgraded to a freeway, then please "like" Jefferson Taffet's page "Turn GA 316 Into A Limited Access Highway Without Tolls". I have "liked" it and hope you will as well.

For now, I am looking forward to the completion of the Collins Hill/Buford Road section being upgraded (estimated completion date: December 31, 2014), and hope that in my lifetime, I'll see the rest of 316 upgraded accordingly.

And finally, please click on the photo below for a very special message from "Mr. T"...

That's it for now. Thanks for reading, please "like" us on Facebook, and please come back often... or I might have to send "Mr. T" after you.

SOURCE: "GA DOT Authorizes $37 Million Project On GA 316 In Lawrenceville", Georgia Department of Transportation, October 20, 2011

I-85 HOT Lanes Backfire On SRTA

The Georgia Road Geek — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 13:48:26 GMT

Starting Monday, the fur really began to fly when I-85 congestion increased and drivers began to realize that the I-85 High-Occupancy Toll lanes were a "boondoggle" that would do nothing to relieve congestion.

Atlanta television stations set up cameras and shot plenty of video of empty HOT lanes alongside crowded "regular" lanes along this heavily traveled Interstate highway. Here is one of the segments from WSB-TV...

According to an article in Tollroads News, the I-85 HOT lanes "is by far the wildest start to any of the toll/HOT/managed/express lanes projects in the US so far" in comparison to HOT lanes implemented in other parts of the U.S.

Gena Evans, Ph.D., executive director of the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority, responded to the outcry by saying, “Just add another person to your car pool,”. Reminds me of the time when Marie Antionette said that poor French peasants should just "eat cake".

Several Facebook users have created anti-Peach Pass/HOT Lane protest pages, including, but not limited to...

- Against The Georgia Peach Pass
- Boycott the HOT Lanes
- Stop Peach Pass

Governor Nathan Deal responded to the protest by ordering the HOT lane toll rates lowered and they were lowered from maximum of $5.50 for traveling all 16 miles (26 km) in the lanes to $3.05, a 44.5% decrease.

Since the lanes were federally funded with a stipulation that the lanes would be "HOV-3" instead of the "HOV-2" that they were as "free" lanes, Deal pledged to ask the Federal government for a "waiver" to allow "HOV-2" drivers to use the lanes free. Such a request, however, would likely be opposed by Federal officials, since it "could run afoul of a legal requirement that the HOT lanes flow at 45 mph (70 km/h) or better".

While I applaud Governor Deal for at least addressing our concerns, as opposed to Evans's "let them eat cake" response, I still believe that this $60,000,000 "boondoggle" needs to be squashed and that the lanes need to be restored to their prior status (free HOV-2).

If you wish to see the comments that several readers offered on my blog alone, please click here.

In the meantime, besides the plethora of anti-Peach Pass/HOT Facebook pages, you can also post your displeasure on the SRTA Facebook page as well. SRTA may delete your comments, but nonetheless, it's a great way to "rattle their cage", as my dad would say. Heck, you're welcome to post on (and "like") our own Facebook page, where we will not "censor" you solely on the grounds that you think the I-85 HOT lanes suck... and we think they do!!!

Well, folks, that's it for now. We at "The Georgia Road Geek" always appreciate your visits and comments and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in this fight against the I-85 HOT lanes. Have a great weekend and God bless you and yours.

SOURCES:
- "GA/I-85 Express Lanes' wild start - tolls too high, lanes near empty, Governor steps in", Tollroads News, October 8, 2011
- "State looking at HOT lane changes; drivers fight back", WSB-TV, October 5, 2011
- "Deal lowers tolls on I-85 HOT lanes", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 6, 2011