Coming soon to a city near you: HOT Lanes - GOP solution to traffic (Atlanta)

[RamblingRose]

HOT lane concerns dominate town hall meeting
By David Wickert

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Frustration over new I-85 high-occupancy toll lanes boiled over at a Monday night town meeting in Buford as opponents angrily confronted state transportation officials about the restricted lanes that opened Oct. 3.

The Gwinnett County Republican Party, which organized the meeting as an opportunity for residents to meet elected officials, struggled to maintain order while many in the crowd of several hundred people vented their frustration.

“Why don’t you admit it was about raising revenue and not about traffic!” one man shouted.


<snip>


Less than a week after the lanes opened, Gov. Nathan Deal announced plans to slash tolls in an effort to boost the number of drivers using them. Originally, the maximum toll for driving the entire 15.5 miles was $5.50; now it’s $3.05.

Deal also pledged to seek more access points for the lanes and to ask the federal government to allow two-person carpools free access. But Deal’s office has said the lanes can’t be scrapped because of requirements that came with the federal money that helped pay for them.

<snip>



Link includes video
http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/hot-lane-concerns-dominate-1209213.html?printArticle=y


GOP Congress, GOP Governor & Gwinnett County is a Republican stronghold, but people still love them some GOP

[RamblingRose]

1. Can someone please explain to me why the lanes can't be scrapped? n/t

[brooklynite]

2. Because the Fed money that was used to build them...

was from a pot designated to promote Congestion Pricing strategies, which is turn is intended to discourage single-auto road travel in favor of carpooling and public transportation.

[Donnachaidh]

3. AND the pukes who took the cash to build them want cash to offset all the corp tax giveaways

and tax cuts they've given in Georgia, because like everything else in this state - they talk ALOT about cutting taxes, but they didn't do the math, and now find themselves short on cash.

This is what happens when the populace doesn't keep an eye on what their representatives are actually doing. Perhaps all those unhappy commuting voters will get together with the Occupy group, and we can start really looking into all the little bookkeeping tricks Sonny Perdue set up to squeeze the working class while he gave his good ole boys tax breaks.

:rofl:

[MindPilot]

5. and anyone with two brain cells to rub together could tell you that doesn't work

Sounds nice in theory but the reality is that the only answer to congestion is either fewer cars or adequate freeways. And there are not going to be fewer cars until there are viable alternatives.

[Fumesucker]

10. The lanes in question in Atlanta have been there since before the Olympics in some cases..

Odd that this little Federal requirement has now surfaced..

[reggie the dog]

4. the express lanes in chicago are just as free as the local lanes

just dont take the skyway and you can go to michigan for free

[RC]

6. 15.5 miles was $5.50 X 2 because you want to get back home?

$220 a month to get back and forth to work? What were they thinking? That Georgia is a high wage union state?

[JoeyT]

11. They were thinking that

the "job creators" shouldn't have to deal with traffic like the peasants.

It was set that high for a reason.

Edited to add: Or maybe they're dumbasses with zero intellectual curiosity that were born with everything they could ever want and think everyone else was too.

[Ikonoklast]

7. Republican Teabagger Sheep Voters Angry They Got The Government They Voted For.

Stupid, stupid sheep who didn't listen to what the Republican politicians were telling them what they'd turn everything into a fee-based service, including any new roads built, and now they're complaining that the Republican Teabaggers they voted into office did *exactly* what they said they'd do?

They could have paid a little more attention from the beginning, or they could be mocked as once yet again, wanting the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, which is other people's taxes give them a free ride and build them free traffic lanes with no strings attached, instead of TAXING THEMSELVES to get what they want.

[Fumesucker]

15. Yep, Buford is prime Teabagger demographic..

Wealthy exurb, I was there just a few days ago.

[dawg]

8. Oh, just fuck those stupid, stupid lanes.

They used to be regular HOV lanes. You get pulled over if you have less than two people in the vehicle.

Now, you've got to buy some kind of pass - they monitor it .... somehow ...... basically you're left with one less usable lane in an already-clogged highway.

Just stupid.

Everything is stupid, lately.

I guess I'm probably stupid, too.

I don't see how we're going to manage to survive as a society. We'll probably all stick our fingers in the wall-socket simultaneously someday because some consulting group told us to do so.

[Phentex]

9. In addition, it hurts people passing through...

many people pass through the state on this highway and now they get stuck in regular traffic too.

The exits are very close together in some instances and it's just not worth it to try and work your way from the HOT lane to the exits without being hit.

It was just stupid overall and very poor timing considering the economy.

[RamblingRose]

16. EXACTLY! n/t

[progressoid]

12. Golly, if only there were some sort of system that could move large

numbers of people efficiently. A mass transit system if you will.

[Fumesucker]

14. Atlanta has a mass transit system, MARTA..

It's utterly inadequate to move even a tiny fraction of the people it would need to in order to relieve traffic congestion here.

[RebelOne]

19. Right and MARTA is limited to specific sections of metro Atlanta.

I live just northwest of Atlanta in Woodstock. There is no access to MARTA here. And no public transporation at all. If you do not have a car, you are stuck or have to use a taxi.

[Tsiyu]

18. I lived in Atlanta in the late 70's

Many, many people fought even back then for a sane mass transit system, but the Lily Whites in Cobb and Gwinnett didn't want "unsavories" (read: Black people and immigrants) to set foot in their Caucasian paradise.

Most of the bottlenecks are due to those living in Cobb, Gwinnett and Forsyth counties to the North, Henry to the South.

Now they're trying to make money off the problems they created with their racism, which didn't keep Cobb or Gwinnett Caucasian in any case.....suckers and idiots.....

[phantom power]

13. But isn't this the GOP dream? Pay-as-you-go for services you use instead of nasty taxes?

:eyes:

[Morning Dew]

17. This topic always annoys me. "Carpool lanes", HOV lanes, etc.

should only be used for buses, motorcycles and multiple occupant cars.

People should never be allowed to buy their way out of congestion. IMO, it's bad public policy.

[Southerner]

20. The State Government in Georgia isn't doing so bad financially

Despite unemployment hovering around 10%, Georgia ranks 36th in the nation for size of deficit this year according to this:

http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=15158

I found other sources that say the deficit will really be half that (or around 4% this year). No need for the state to be making this many people angry to boost revenues. Deficit spending at the federal level will be around 40% this year by the way. :-(

This fiasco of the "hot lanes" has been entertaining to watch unfold on local TV. Day one most didn't want to pay the toll so the existing lanes next to them got even more crowded. This certainly looks like they are out to get more revenue and not relieve congestion. It was all done with federal grant money for a "pilot program" though that also includes adding parking lots and commuter busses. Will take awhile to see results I would imagine.

Somebody at the Federal level probably thought it prudent to require 3 or more people in each car rather than 2 or more. More bang for their buck. We'll see how that works out. :-)

So far our new governor seems to be pretty responsive and open to complaints by drivers.