Talk of the Town

By Robert

March 9, 2006 11:58 AM | Link to this

Wow. That’ll help the smog problem…..

By edge

March 9, 2006 12:08 PM | Link to this

Considering the truck traffic, i can see the need for it. I would setup two lanes for truck traffic only, one lane for bus only lanes and 4 person per car hov lane. That would make a dent, but only if the buses have special exits as well. The Late Bill Hasty also suggested that truck traffic be prohibited from 6 to 9am and 3pm to 6pm daily. That in itself might make more of a dent than the 26 lanes..

By Justin

March 9, 2006 12:08 PM | Link to this

Yeah more lanes will work. Just like it worked on 85…oh wait…just like it worked on 75…o wait. Hell lets just pave over the entire metro. The DOT never ceases to amaze me with idicoy. How about…gasp…mass transit. Instead of 4 new lanes each way, how about a rail that runs beside the interstate.

By Gail

March 9, 2006 12:09 PM | Link to this

This won’t effect the smog problem, just the congestion. The same amount of cars are on the road either way you look at it.

By martha

March 9, 2006 12:09 PM | Link to this

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO AN ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE IDEA. 20-23 LANES TO WHERE????? LAST TIME I TRAVELLED 75 COMING HOME FROM TENNESSEE I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND I WAS GOING 85MPH (THOUGHT I WAS JUST TRAVELLIG WITH THE FLOW EVEN THO TRAFFIC WAS PASSING ME)I HOPE TO NEVER GET ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN AGAIN. ON WHAT TO DO TO ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE — NOTHING. IF PEOPLE ARE STUPID ENOUGH TO MOVE UP THAT WAY OR TRAVEL DURING WORK HOURS LET THEM SIT IN TRAFFIC.

By Justin

March 9, 2006 12:10 PM | Link to this

How about instead of exapnding the intersate 4 lanes…why not put out a MARTA rail?!?!?! The DOT amazes me at the amount of retardation they spit out. Expanding the interstate is only a temporary fix. It too will eventually need to be widened to 30….40….50 lanes each way.

By Cobb Rascist

March 9, 2006 12:11 PM | Link to this

If the governing transportation systems would ever expand the Marta train system into the Cobb/Cherokee counties and add more exits (say around Emory/CDC, etc) around areas with lots of employees - the ever growing traffic problems could be abated without adding to already burdened system. Just what the Atlanta/North Georgia area needed - MORE SMOG!

Will hydrogen cars or other alternatives lead to highways of 100+ lanes in our distant future?

By Héctor Fernández L'Hoeste

March 9, 2006 12:11 PM | Link to this

Terrible idea. I wonder what all that money would buy in terms of public transportation.

By Robert

March 9, 2006 12:12 PM | Link to this

Here is idea topic for a blog….

The president is asking for 91 billion dollars just for the “war” in iran and afganistan FOR THIS YEAR. That is 91 billion dollars - 91!!!!

Do you know what all 91 BILLION dollars can buy? Not 91 million, but 91 BILLION!!! Where could all of this money be going????

Hey - all of you crazy republicans - ever think to privatize our military? Certainly fighting a 3rd world country, or “policing” a 3rd world country should cost less that 91 Billion dollars a year! Some one is getting mighty wealthy off of this, and it isn’t the American tax payer.

By Matt

March 9, 2006 12:12 PM | Link to this

Who needs mass transit?

Let’s just continue to add more lanes until the whole State is nothing but concrete and asphalt.

Let’s face it, the State has no solution to traffic problems.

By Jasmine

March 9, 2006 12:14 PM | Link to this

of course its not a good idea, not to mention the pollution. Why not put the same planning and funds to creating a mass transit subway system (just don’t call it marta in cobb county ;-) so that we don’t need to take the highway and can use public transportation like other large cities in the world?

By Glenn

March 9, 2006 12:18 PM | Link to this

I wonder how the expansion will help if all of the other roads the expansion connects to are not widened too. In other words, if you only widen one stretch, whenever the additional lanes begin to narrow and merge, such as onto I-285 or continuing on I-75 south of the proposed project, won’t a major bottleneck, or bottlenecks, be unavoidable?

By Doug

March 9, 2006 12:19 PM | Link to this

So, instead of the city or state coming up with a viable solution for mass transit, let’s just make more lanes. Guess what - it will do nothing but compound the problem. Drivers who take alternate routes would simply jump onto the interstate with everyone else, providing no relief.

Instead of solving the problem in Atlanta by expanding MARTA, they want to feed the traffic monster. Ridiculous.

By Apalled

March 9, 2006 12:20 PM | Link to this

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to live in the world of Mad Max…

By William

March 9, 2006 12:21 PM | Link to this

Twenty lanes??

How about extending the rail service in all directions? The area is growing and desperately needs a transportation system.

By Gary

March 9, 2006 12:23 PM | Link to this

It is time we get rid of these fools at DOT or whoever make these ridiculous decisions. How do you spell relief? Trains not more lanes.

By Andrew

March 9, 2006 12:25 PM | Link to this

Newsflash Robert, that’s the war in “Iraq.” Take your conversation to the politics page where it belongs (and will be refuted).

By Rich

March 9, 2006 12:26 PM | Link to this

Rather then using eminent domain to expand, why not double decker the highways. it is common in other cities. Also, the most prudent thing is train service down the middle as a prior person mentioned.

By chris

March 9, 2006 12:26 PM | Link to this

More lanes are not the answer. Increasing incentives for telecommuniting, carpooling, bicycling, walking are good starts.

I’m a Cobb County resident and live about 9 miles from my work, down in midtown. If there were bike lanes, secure parking for my bike, and a shower/locker room in my building, I would ride to work at least once a week.

Investing in work/live/play communities is also a good idea. Also developers should be required to help out.

By Tami

March 9, 2006 12:28 PM | Link to this

Thanks for your comment, Martha. However, you’re not considering the fact that the I-75 corridor through Georgia accommodates major commerce traffic not only throughout the Southeast, but through the U.S. I live in Kennesaw, and commute to Marietta daily to work. If it weren’t for the tractor trailers (and, boy…there are a LOT of them), the commute time would be cut in half.

I’m with you, Justin. I’ve been half-jokingly saying for years to co-workers, family, etc. that the GA DOT should just construct a rail line right down the middle of I-75. I’d commute on the rail to work rather than by car. I could use a break after 23 years of commuting in increasingly slower and more congested traffic on I-75.

Edge, you have some interesting ideas as well.

The point is that north Georgia has grown in population at least triple from what the population was pre-Olympics. That’s an incredible rate of growth. We all can’t live in the town we work in, and we all can’t work in the town we live in. It’s just not possible. I think the least expensive way to go about this with very little disturbance in traffic with the years of construction nightmares is what Edge suggested: Restricted times for tractor-trailer commuting.

By David

March 9, 2006 12:28 PM | Link to this

Overkill. They’re building four toll lanes for big trucks, but the trucks aren’t required to use them. And here’s where the logic breaks down completely - GDOT says the truck lanes will make the road safer, but since they’re voluntary toll lanes, the only time truckers will use them is when traffic is at a standstill. This is NOT when trucks are dangerous — try when they’re whizzing and swerving by 85 m.p.h. on the open highway! Either make the big trucks use the lanes at ALL times (with or without a toll) or do away with the lanes altogether. But, since this is being built by a private firm, you’d better believe they’re not going to do away with the tolls and build the truck lanes for free.

By Apalled

March 9, 2006 12:29 PM | Link to this

If that what they want out there, let them have it, just don’t widen any more lanes within the city of Atlanta. They’re the ones out there that don’t believe in transit. They’re the ones out there who prefer auto-oreiented development instead of pedestrian-friendly development. If they believe so much in suburban living that they’re willing to pave over everything, then let them do it. As for me, I’ll stay in the city where I can walk and have the option to catch MARTA.

By Franny

March 9, 2006 12:31 PM | Link to this

Imagine if the interchange from another interstate dropped you into the left lane of traffic on this 26-lane highway… and you needed to get allll the way over to the right lane to be able to get off at the next exit. That sounds like a million rush hour nightmares just waiting to happen.

Building this megaroad will undoubtedly encourage more development in the outer reaches of Cobb county. Once 26 lanes get clogged with traffic and more lanes are needed, what then? They’re expanding 400 right now, and I’m sure a plan to expand 85 is in the works, but none of this offers sustainable solutions for the growth that is predicted to happen in Atlanta in the next 10 - 15 years — that is, the growth that’s predicted to happen as long as our oil supplies stay what they currently are. If this doesn’t happen, watch people run away from the suburbs at astounding rates. The DOT is being very short-sighted on this issue. We’re already seeing hints that oil won’t be cheap and plentiful forever. Suburbs and exurbs and megahighways aren’t going to fit so nicely into our lifestyles if oil starts regularly selling for over $100 a barrel. The Atlanta Beltline is a more logical vision of what this city needs for the future.

By road rage

March 9, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this

Okay, first of all smog is not a function of the number of lanes a road has. Don’t confuse issues here. Second of all, what the DOT has never understood is that relieve traffic you have to remove bottlenecks in the system. i.e. get rid of any lanes that dead end. Anytime a major intersection occurs, you should add lanes, not have half of them exit or else lanes. If they do add 4 lanes each way, what do you think is going to happen at Wade Green Rd when the lanes go from 16 to 8? That’s a bottleneck. So they’re just moving the problem farther north. You have to keep the number of lanes constant until you reach a rural area, where a lane reduction will not cause major merging and in turn traffic jams. Also, they need to put speed minimums on the two left lanes and force slower traffic to the right. Until the DOT and the State decide to get it through to slow drivers with citations that the left lanes are for passing not cruising we’ll always have traffic issues.

By chris

March 9, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this

Nobody wants this garbage except the people who make money paving roads and building quikie marts and cracker barrels alongside them.

If a bypass for thru trains were made west of the city, the acworth-> marietta-> vinings-> downtown atlanta rail line could easily accommodate commuter trains.

While making that bypass, make a bypass for thru-trucks alongside it to free up I-285 which has not been a bypass for 20+ years.

By Todd

March 9, 2006 12:35 PM | Link to this

Why stop at 23 lanes of traffic? I think 30 lanes should be the minimum number of lanes packed full of vehicles careening into and out of Atlanta every day. After all, history has shown us that we can successfully build our way out of congestion.

And whatever we do, let’s not consider expanding rail or other alternatives that might reduce single-occupancy vehicle use. Unlike the current proposal, that’d be ridiculous!

By Claire

March 9, 2006 12:35 PM | Link to this

NO! Building more roads is not the answer. Anyone remember when the Olympics came to town? Staggering work hours, telecommuting? Traffic was never more efficient. The old-school mentality of 8 to 5 has to come into the 21st century. Poll employees and see who is willing to come in at 6:00, get off at 2:00 PM, who wants to come in at 9:00, get off at 6:00 PM. I guarantee changing the hours people work will solve traffic issues faster (and certainly cheaper) than 100 new lanes. (Not to mention happier employees!)

By Jason

March 9, 2006 12:36 PM | Link to this

This is what we get for having a socialist road system. Gas taxes and other user fees pay only a small portion of the cost of roads. If people were required to pay the true cost of living far away from work and shopping, our cities would have developed much different. But because we haven’t learned anything from the collapse of communism, we continue with our road system that is funded primarily from non-gas taxes. As Marx would say, from each according to their means [regarless of how much of the road system they use], to each according to their [choice generated] needs.

By Tami

March 9, 2006 12:36 PM | Link to this

Glenn, I enjoyed your comment. You made a very good point. One of the problems right now in my area is Highway 92 that runs between Acworth and Woodstock - which runs somewhat parallel between I-75 and I-575. It’s a constant bottleneck and getting worse. Yet, here we are still at 2 lanes - 1 lane each way. Horrible traffic through there. I’m ecstatic I don’t live off that road, but I have friends who do. I live off of Jiles Road in Kennesaw, and thanks to commercial/business development and still only having a two-lane road, it’s getting more and more difficult to get to my apartment complex daily. And, what are we seeing more on Jiles Road? Tractor trailer and commercial trucks. Unfortunately, I think we’ve reached the point of no return. This idea that Glenn brings up should actually have been addressed at least 10 years ago. Now we see the results of sloppy roadway planning - development before road planning. The GA DOT needs to address all the issues before proceeding with a huge, expensive and lengthy project as this.

By chris

March 9, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this

When 750 bicyclists ride from Roswell to the Capitol (including the Roswell mayor and the Atlanta mayor even tagged along at the end) to advocate alternative transportation, but the local news media totally ignores it, we have to expect this kind of garbage to continue forever. Down with the local news! :(

By Greg

March 9, 2006 12:39 PM | Link to this

I-75 on the northside certainly needs the expansion, however I-75 on the south side is equally in need of relief. When is the southside going to get proper equal representation? We on the southside endure some of the worst traffic in the metro area, but have seen no plans to make improvements. The I-75 / I-675 merge is the only place in metro Atl where outbound traffic on two interstates is consolidted on to one. It’s hell in the afternoons.

By Donna

March 9, 2006 12:39 PM | Link to this

23 lanes, Oh No! This is the only city I have ever lived in that you see a total blind eye to pedestrians and mass transit. It is just about impossible to use mass transit in Cobb County. I live 7 miles from work with a 35 min. commute. When I tell out of state people this, I’m met with, “That’s crazy”. They ask my advice to move here and I tell them, stay where you are. It is no picnic getting around here. Everyday is a hassle. More lanes is not the answer. Mass transit is the future!

By Bob

March 9, 2006 12:40 PM | Link to this

Sounds like Texas. Why not 30 lanes? BIGGER THE BETTER!!

By Jerry

March 9, 2006 12:41 PM | Link to this

Entropy states that a freeway can only have so many lanes before broken down vehicles cannot make it out of the roadway. Additional lanes will just snarl traffic even more!

By Koz

March 9, 2006 12:42 PM | Link to this

I have a better idea, lets widen I-75 and I-675 on the southside where the traffic is the worst in the state.

By Dano

March 9, 2006 12:43 PM | Link to this

I have no sympathy for Cobb County. They are the fools who, along with Gwinnett and other suburban counties who opted not to participate in MARTA. If racism and fear that MARTA would bring crime hadn’t been on these suburban counties mind when MARTA rail was being built, then we would have a decent mass transit system. Imagine if you could board a train at Windy Hill Road and ride in comfort to Decatur, Atlanta, Alpharetta, etc. The state needs to pass legislation (doubtful with the GOP in control) and make MARTA, or GRTA a true mass transit system, with rail service. As an Atlanta native, I could never understand why MARTA never became a real “Metropolitan” transit system. MARTA does not nor will it ever cause any increase in crime. So enjoy the gridlock on 75! You all had a chance to participate, but choose not to. This is your punishment.

By Dot

March 9, 2006 12:44 PM | Link to this

The Nazis killed the jews in extermination chambers. The Georgia DOT has us convinced to buy our own extermination chambers on 4 wheels and voluntarily kill ourselves!

Why do we keep allowing the Georgia DOT to engineer ways to kill us??????

The transportation system here is already sheer, fatal lunacy!

By honest abe

March 9, 2006 12:45 PM | Link to this

wow seems like everyone is copying and pasting….i read the same post like 50 times….

common theme….GIVE US PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Joe McLain

March 9, 2006 12:51 PM | Link to this

I think that the lane expansion is long overdue. I think the funding by making it a toll road is a problem. We all remember GA-400 in the 90’s and how it was a toll road until it was paid for and surprisingly enough it just made too much money for the State and it remains today. Toll roads are a bad idea. Our taxes should be enough. If you mismanage that money then don’t tax me again a the toll road.

By Joe

March 9, 2006 12:51 PM | Link to this

I agree with Justin. Mass transit is what we need.

By Quadracer

March 9, 2006 12:51 PM | Link to this

I think it’s a great idea.This would help all of the clowns that live in Bartow and Cherokee that are complaining about smog get through my county quicker. In case you didn’t realize it’s approx. 16 lanes through Marietta already. They aren’t talking about 20 lanes each side!And to the idiots that say we need mass transit. Why so we can bring even more crime into the burbs. Remeber what happened when CCT began the interlink with Marta?

By Jim

March 9, 2006 12:52 PM | Link to this

HELLOOOOOO DOT……Ever hear of mass transit…..duhhhhhh!!!!

By Robert

March 9, 2006 12:52 PM | Link to this

Sounds like Texas, why stop at 23 go for 40. Go JawJaw.

Robert

By Eric Dammer

March 9, 2006 12:53 PM | Link to this

This plan does not jive with Atlanta’s push to be greener (the beltline). Rail is a good idea, but MARTA isn’t authorized to do anything in Cobb Co. Plus long haul traffic is a major contributing factor to traffic at all times (as in Houston), not just rush hour. So, the lanes should be added as express lanes with a minimal number of exits inside the perimeter. These express lanes should be the ones tolled, since it appears this plan targets the long-haul contribution to traffic. In fact, express lanes need not enter the perimeter. They could branch from I-75 connecting to the perimeter west of the existing 75/285 interchange. Express lanes would continue on this side of the perimeter and provide exclusive access to and from I-85 and I-75 south of the perimeter. You cannot add lanes on one side of the city (I-75 north of the town center) and expect anything but a bottleneck on the other side due to the large volume of long-haul, pass-through traffic!

By phil

March 9, 2006 12:57 PM | Link to this

Sure it’s a good idea! Make it 50!

By Aimee

March 9, 2006 12:59 PM | Link to this

No - bad idea. Mass transit should have been moving north on all sides of town as people continue to move into the area. I for one would take mass transit. Building more lanes will only increase the problem. traffic is getting worse daily. Mass transit is the only way to do it. Straight down the middle of 75. If I could take it now (the bus) I would, but it still wouldn’t shorten my commute.

By leslie

March 9, 2006 12:59 PM | Link to this

More road=more cars. I hope they design it like the current Windy Hill exit. I can’t wait to merge across 23 lanes in 1/2 a mile to exit at Delk in rush hour!

By luckydog

March 9, 2006 01:01 PM | Link to this

i think we need some new rural interstates that can siphon off some of the truck traffic that now has to come past atlanta on I-75. wasn’t there some talk of new ones across middle georgia and between augusta and knoxville, or something like that?

By Fact check

March 9, 2006 01:03 PM | Link to this

Joe McLain:

Read the GA400 bonds. The road is NOT paid for yet. Not until 2011. The excess tolls can NOT be used to pay off the road early because bond holders want a steady stream of money over a given period of time. Road bonds are not like home mortgages. You can call the State Toll and Roadway Authority and have them send you your very own copy of the bond agreement to read. Stop spreading false information! Road are EXPENSIVE and that’s why there will be a toll on GA400 for so long. But because we don’t make fuel taxes cover the cost of roads (not by a long shot), most people think they are cheap to build.

As for double decking all the roads, an elevated highway costs ten times that of a road built at grade. Building underground costs even more.

By Andrea

March 9, 2006 01:04 PM | Link to this

I absolutely agree with Robert. If 18 wheelers were prohibited from driving thru the metro area on 75 in both directions between the hours of 6 to 9AM and 3PM to 6PM, traffic would be 100% better. However, I am all for doing whatever it takes to get me home faster. Every night I sit on 75 and am just in awe at the amount of cars on the road. It is absolutely amazing. Do whatever it takes to fix the problem! But prohibiting the 18 wheelers would be the quickest, easiest way to alleviate the congestion and frustration.

By Dewaine

March 9, 2006 01:04 PM | Link to this

Why doesn’t the DOT put on their thinking caps and, instead of making I-75 bigger, create a truck only interstate in the country? It would be created fast since there would be no traffic to create construction conflicts.

By harold

March 9, 2006 01:04 PM | Link to this

Dano, the people who voted down MARTA in Cobb in the 1970s fled to Cherokee and Bartow counties in the 1980s and 1990s.

Those of us in Cobb now desperately WANT rail rapid transit and safe bike lanes.

It’s the good old boy politicians (Olens and friends) and the remaining neo-nazi holdouts in East Cobb (who would ever guess they would like Olens?) aren’t listening this message from the rest of us.

By Tom

March 9, 2006 01:05 PM | Link to this

Widening I-75. I remember back in 1983, 84 that “Freeing the Freeways” was going to solve congestion by oh gee, widening the interstate. DOT has not learned ANYTHING since then.

By octoracer

March 9, 2006 01:06 PM | Link to this

Quadracer, what makes you think criminals in Atlanta don’t drive? Could you be successful at your job without driving if you job involved hauling around 50 inch televisions? You are a freaking imbecile!!!!!!

By Justin

March 9, 2006 01:07 PM | Link to this

The proposed I-14 from Montgomery to Columbus to below Macon and then to Augusta will help with long haul traffic. Instead of trucks having to take 85 into ATL and then hop on 285, they can go from Montgomery to Augusta completely missing ATL.

By Johnny

March 9, 2006 01:08 PM | Link to this

Why???? It’ll only get worse on 75 with more lanes. More lanes will equal more cars!!

By Cabbagetown

March 9, 2006 01:09 PM | Link to this

I’m against it. If people don’t like the traffic, they have three choices: 1) sit in the traffic 2) move closer to the city or in the city 3) get a job where you can work at home. Personally, I did options two and three and I’m very happy I did.

Once this expansion is done, all that is going to do is generate a bunch of overdevelopment in Cherokee and Bartow county. Sounds like a bunch of politicians and lawyers have land up there they are ready to sell.

After the development is done, all the lanes of traffic will be full and the traffic issue will only get worse.

Also, why should everyone else in the state have to deal with the burden of the cost?

This is a lose, lose, lose situation for everyone except wealthy developers and wealthy landowners. By the way, I’m a lot more conservative than liberal.

By Jeff

March 9, 2006 01:11 PM | Link to this

As someone who commutes EVERY DAY 85 miles into and out of ATL (Cartersville down 75 to 20 out to Covington):

All you people advocating mass transit are crazy! Until employers are forced to hire only people who reside within an x number of miles radius of their business, it simply won’t work. The only reason I drive so far? I went on several interviews within my inudstry and this is where the job is. In many cases, it isn’t that people don’t WANT to work close to home… it is that the jobs SIMPLY AREN’T THERE and said peopl can’t afford to move!

By Jimmy

March 9, 2006 01:12 PM | Link to this

When will people realize that this is NOT NYC. OAtlanta is was too spread out for mass transit to be effective. I would bet that Mass transit is not practicle for at least 95% of the people that live in the Metro Area. People would have to actually get in the car and drive to the place to get on a train (AKA congestion at load points) that will drop them off about 10 miles from where they work. So then they would then have to rely on another means of transportation to get them the rest of the way. People hate sitting in traffic, so if MARTA was feasible, don’t you think they would use it now?

By mobley

March 9, 2006 01:13 PM | Link to this

If you are “all for doing whatever it takes to get me home faster,” pack up and move to within a few miles of your job, or find a job within a few miles of your home. Oh, you’re not for THAT, are you?

By David

March 9, 2006 01:14 PM | Link to this

OK, I thought this was going to be an intelligent discussion, not a “screw Cobb, screw roads” forum. Most of you are crazier than GDOT.

By DRJ

March 9, 2006 01:15 PM | Link to this

The people who say that the additional lanes will not cause additional air polluion are both right and wrong. The lanes themselves will not cause air pollution, they will (theoretically) lessen congestion on the roadways thereby making air quality better (at least that is what the engineers say who look only at numbers and do not consider the social concequences of their decision making). Once congestion is lighter, it will have the effect of making living farther out in the metro (Bartow County, Paulding County, etc.) more attractive as people weigh the difference between commute time and housing affordability. As more people move out, air pollution will increase and we will be back to the sorry state of congestion that we are currently in. Thus, we will need to build more lanes to accommodate the traffic. Finally, we will justify the hiring of this engineer who now is in chage of the projecy to expand capacity (it seems like engineer job security not regional soluions). Ah yes, the every expanding circle of Atlanta traffic!

By trueleader

March 9, 2006 01:17 PM | Link to this

We need a True Leader who will put her foot down and say NO to this continued nonsense.

We need someone to take control and FORCE mass transit on the protectionist municipalities of metro Atlanta.

By John

March 9, 2006 01:19 PM | Link to this

Well, if we pave everything, at least GDOT can save money on making maps.

There was a thoughtful column a week or so ago that pointed out when you build more highway lanes, it INDUCES traffic, and pretty soon you are back with congestion.

This is madness, folks.

By Lonnie

March 9, 2006 01:21 PM | Link to this

Georgians don’t have a lick of sense. That’s why we buy mcMansions in the country and then whine our commute is not 15 minutes each way. That’s why we are dead last in education and close to first in crime. We are just too stupid here. If only the North had killed all of us when they had the chance!!!!!!!!

El sur se levantará otra vez!!!

By Jason

March 9, 2006 01:23 PM | Link to this

If you’re driving 85 miles per day, you’re spending a fortune on gas and car upkeep. It’d only take a month or two of a shorter commute to pay back the moving costs to be closer to work. Then again, you probably already know that but just want the taxpayers to continue paying for your long distance commute. It’s nice when you can make someone else pay for your choices.

By Mad Max

March 9, 2006 01:24 PM | Link to this

I agree with Greg. The south end of I-75 is just as bad. Someone needs to take a look at I-75 South where I-75/I-675 merge (Hudson Bridge-Eagles Landing Pkwy). You have five lanes mergering into three with all the “redneck truckers” traveling at “Mach 3” coming off I-675. Once again “brillant” engineering on the part of DOT.

By h_charles

March 9, 2006 01:24 PM | Link to this

Jimmy is unfortunately right. Trains will not solve the problem. No suburban city has EVER successfully reduced traffic through a rail system, with the possible excpetion of Portland (and that only works because the community there actually cares about the environment instead of giant SUVs like Altanta). A train system will take only a small percentage of cars off the highway, and that small decrease will more than be made up for by the population growth. If you hate your commute that much MOVE CLOSER WORK. If you can’t afford your McMansion near your office buy a smaller house. This is America — you are free to live and work where you please.

By Peter

March 9, 2006 01:29 PM | Link to this

The increase of lanes on I-75 is not the answer. Atlanta has developed a mindset that everyone needs to drive their own cars many miles to work every day. Here are a few alternatives:

telecommute car pool mass transit find a new job

I chose the latter and moved to Carrollton. Pace is slower, people friendlier, costs lower and the 4-mile commute takes 8 minutes by car.

By Bryan

March 9, 2006 01:32 PM | Link to this

Leave the freeways as they are! Traffic is currently solving itself. People are moving back to town. Expanding the freeways will only delay the day metro Atlanta collapses back in to a reasonable size. Left alone, I-75 will be half empty because most everybody will live in downtown Atlanta again.

By Joe

March 9, 2006 01:32 PM | Link to this

An interstate highway can accomodate 2500 cars per hour. One lane of light rail, meanwhile, can accomodate 40,000 passengers per hour. With the average car holding 1.1 people, it’s clear which mode has an advantage.

According to the ARC, using way-out-of-date projections, rail costs ten times as much to build as roads.

A simple cost-benefit analysis shows that rail is the way to go, as the benefit of rail is more than ten times that of cars.

By Jim

March 9, 2006 01:33 PM | Link to this

YES! We in Cobb County need more lanes on 75 due to the huge traffic problems. Mass transit will come in time when someone comes up with a solution that actually works and doesn’t constantly cost Cobb county citizens more tax money to support poorly run politically correct programs. Cobb County subsidizes most of the metro area in paying more in taxes than what we bring in. Start fining lousy truck drivers who cause most of the accidents and block the roads causing huge traffic tie-ups. Limit trucks, all vehicles towing a trailer, large oversized vehicles etc.. to the far 2 right lanes. Enforce the HOV lane law where some soccer mom and her 1 year old baby driving 40 miles and hour delay traffic. Raise the penalty for these soccer mom’s to $500 for driving in the HOV lane. HOV lanes should be for 4 adults drivers in one vehicle, no motorcycles.

By Leroy

March 9, 2006 01:33 PM | Link to this

New York City is one of largest suburban cities. You think they not use trains there? You are idiot! IEDs for SUVs!!!

By Ranger

March 9, 2006 01:34 PM | Link to this

So, what are there, really, about four of us posting to this thing?

By New_Resident

March 9, 2006 01:38 PM | Link to this

MASS TRANSIT…..WHAT IS THIS CITY WAITING ON. THE TRAFFIC HERE IS HORRIFIC…MORE LANES FOR MORE GRIDLOCK?

By James

March 9, 2006 01:40 PM | Link to this

Shouldn’t you people be working… oh, I forgot, hippies don’t have jobs. Stop sitting around complaining about responsible people that have to commute to a job. Think of it as your hourly commute to the bong or your weekly commute to a shower.

By Jeff

March 9, 2006 01:45 PM | Link to this

Jason,

Couple of points:

By Brian

March 9, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this

LOL!! More lanes?? More wrecks!! Cobb needs to come up with a better idea, like mass public transport that will be clean and efficient. Come on people. All the more lanes would do would be invite more traffic and then what? Expand the highways up so they will truely be “highways”? This idea is ridiculous and irresponsible. Atlanta already has a bad smog problem….

By RWH

March 9, 2006 01:49 PM | Link to this

Out of everything that I have heard about expanion of I-75; this is the best news yet! The only questions is…..where will 23 lanes fit? Will it take everyone over the city or Downtown ATL, or will it be just another start and stop like we are doing now. If so, 23 lines will not do us any good and we will spend more time sitting in traffic. Already, it’s a nightmare! Can 23 lanes be explained and if so, how do you build 23 lanes?

By George

March 9, 2006 01:52 PM | Link to this

Who ever decided to put the trucks in the right lanes anyway? Why not stick them in the leftmost lanes so we dont have to fight our way on and off the freeway? …

By Spon

March 9, 2006 01:56 PM | Link to this

Public roads are the biggest welfare system on Earth. You people complain about welfare medicine and food, so why should I knot get to complain about your WELFARE ROADS?

Every Mercedes and Inifinty Lenux sports a WELFARE QUEEN behind the wheel.

Buy your own roads, YOU WELFARE QUEENS!!!

By madison

March 9, 2006 01:57 PM | Link to this

What about getting more lanes via a timeshare system? For example, some folks drive between 6 and 7 AM, but others drive between 7 and 8AM? That would increase 9 lanes to 18 lanes right there without having to pave anything. Timesharing works for condos at the beach, so it can work here too!

By Mowgli

March 9, 2006 02:00 PM | Link to this

If you driving 85 miles each way you need to MOVE. seriously

By Dennis Billew

March 9, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this

Twentythree lanes on I-75 would not be needed if we would just build the outer perimeter.

By Dennis Billew

March 9, 2006 02:12 PM | Link to this

As long as DeKalb and Fulton control MARTA, it will never be able to provide adequate transit even to those counties. Let the State of Georgia take over MARTA.

By noel

March 9, 2006 02:13 PM | Link to this

Good grief!! Atlanta used to be such a great town. I went to Tech in the 50s and worked there in the 60s. I loved it. Now I wouldn’t go back for anything. There are buildings on every square inch of property, and traffic congestion everywhere. My last visit was five years ago. It took me an hour and a half to get from one side of the city to the other. I’ll never go back.

By CAZ

March 9, 2006 02:13 PM | Link to this

I agree with Bryan. The Atlanta Metro Area is already seeing a fledgling reversal of urban sprawl. People are slowly moving back inside the perimeter. Investing in the outlying “edge cities” will impede this process and will be a waste of money. Tell the DOT to help true Atlantans start to reverse this ugly trend of “suburbanization” that has infested Atlanta over the last half century.

By Chris

March 9, 2006 02:14 PM | Link to this

I say build it, but make it a toll road. If gas prices will not people from clogging the roads then tolls will. $5.00 each way!!!

By heyu

March 9, 2006 02:17 PM | Link to this

We nee to expand the north east portion of I-285 to 6 lanes and expand I-20 outside the perimeter to 4-5 lanes. I am currently living in Mableton and driving to work on I-285 to the Technology Park in Norcross only takes 30 minutes. When I move to Turner Hill and I have to drive to the Technology Park the drive is probably going to take 1 hour….

By Thomas Cox

March 9, 2006 02:19 PM | Link to this

Cobb will never do mass transit like MARTA. Why do you think they created their own system, like Gwinnett did. They dont want that element coming up. MARTA will be the eventual downfall of Alpharetta. How about building the Northern Arc so all traffic doesn’t have to go down over and around, but that makes too much sense, a bird may die.

By Mark

March 9, 2006 02:19 PM | Link to this

Who are the traffic wizards that came up with this horrificly stupid idea? Read a national study on lane widening and the addition of lanes and find out how it always makes things worse. Imagine almost missing your exit if you hadn’t just did the Savannah super slalom across 15 lanes, jack-knifing six tractor trailors and causing 3 mini-vans filled with kids to collide. Yeah, Great Idea. Lets go a step further and just completely remove the Marta.

By Tamika

March 9, 2006 02:31 PM | Link to this

Its about time we expand our Highways— If we cant get commuter trains then i say Build the SUPER HIGHWAY!!

By Wes

March 9, 2006 02:33 PM | Link to this

http://www.atlantaregional.com/transportationair/envision6.html

http://www.atlantaregional.com/transportationair/mobility2030.html

Don’t just sit around and complain. Get involved.

There is not a panacea for the situation we are in now. The answer is more roads, more and better mass transit, more telecommuting, more ride sharing, and more flex hours.

By Joe

March 9, 2006 02:39 PM | Link to this

Thomas Cox, if what you said was true, Decatur would be a dump by now. So would Doraville. And East Point. And Dunwoody. And Buckhead. Maybe you haven’t been to any of those areas lately, which would explain why you’re so far removed from reality.

By Jack

March 9, 2006 02:40 PM | Link to this

James gets the “OWNED” award for his comments on you hippie liberals. I’ve never seen so much wealth envy in my life. What a bunch of whiners. You guys just sit back and complain while the successful people take care of things. And by the way, lack of mass transit in Cobb and Cherokee is the best way to keep you people where we want you.

By Scott

March 9, 2006 02:42 PM | Link to this

I dont know who Bill Hasty was, but I have been saying for years that they ought to prohibit trucks during the morning and evening rush hours. I constantly see cars trying to “beat” trucks onto the freeway and trucks going from a complete stop to first gear and have a quarter mile of freeway in front of them. And think of the number of businesses that would have to change their schedules to accommodate trucks arriving earlier or later than usual. More lanes? No, use the ones we have in better ways.

By N.W.

March 9, 2006 02:44 PM | Link to this

I agree. Mass Transit is the answer. I will be so happy when Atlanta decides to becomes a major city and makes real plans for mass transit.

For now, lets continue to let Cobb conservatives scare voters into believing mass transit will bring crimminals to the suburbs. And now they want the rest of us to pay for 20 -30 lanes because they don’t want mass transmit! I don’t think so.

Remember these are the same folks who wanted to re-write the textbooks…

By Paul

March 9, 2006 02:50 PM | Link to this

20+ lanes. Pure short sightedness. Why not add one to each side, get rid of the useless HOV lanes (ever tried to use one of those during rush hour?), and put in a metro-rail from Town Center connecting to a station at 75/285 which then branches out to Cumberland and down 285 to the formally named Hightower station of of 20. Then also connect it east along 285 to Perimeter and connect it there. I would use that kind of mass transit. I live 9 miles from work and it takes me 30+ minutes to get there every morning. If I took the CCT, it would take me almost 2 hours (I tried it one week). Why can’t someone in charge see such a simple solution as this? I would always take the rail to games and shopping for $2 one way.

By Chris

March 9, 2006 02:51 PM | Link to this

The vast majority of respondents here favor trains over lanes. If you build trains, appropriate housing and other development will follow.

I’ve lived in Munich, Moscow, DC and NYC, and their extensive train systems help make them great cities.

ATL will be a world class city once we have the public transportation system that the city needs. And, of course, the air quality will improve.

Is there any empirical evidence suggesting that the introduction of public rail increases crime?

By john

March 9, 2006 02:58 PM | Link to this

I’m glad i drive on I-75 inside the perimeter and not out. Cobb needs a better mass transit system then Cobb Community Transport. Even though MARTA is not the greatest it is better then CCT. And if they are going to expand the highway they should work on the bottle neck on I-75 going from inside the perimeter to out too. Maybe keep a HOV lane north of 285. Can you imagine all the delays while GADOT expands the road?

By traffic

March 9, 2006 02:59 PM | Link to this

A rail system, will not work!

Manhatan is what a 20 mile by 2 mile concrete jungle with thousands of huge buildings. You can’t run a rail in Atlanta that would be convenient enough for 95% of people, who work inside the perimeter, to give up their car.
Yeah put a train from 75, 85, 20 from all directions into the city. Then how do you get to work when you get off the train….and don’t say Marta bus b/c we know how bad that system is.

Long Island traffic is more comparable to Atlanta traffic. The people who live/work on Long Island that do not rail into work, sit in traffic just as bad as ours b/c you can’t run a rail everywhere

More lanes, northern arc, won’t solve anything. You just get more traffic, developers will start building there and then in 10 years you’re right back to where you started.

The only way to effect people’s driving is to hit their wallet.

My vote is toll lanes

By Kirby

March 9, 2006 03:04 PM | Link to this

I live in Cherokee County and often drive on 575/75. In the DOT’s defense, something has to be done. Mass transit (i.e. Marta) would be excellent, but Cobb county keeps on voting “no” to the proposal because they “don’t want it to bring crime into their area”???

By Andy from Canton

March 9, 2006 03:09 PM | Link to this

Add me to the list of those who’d rather see a train (above or below ground) than 23 lanes of asphalt for those like me who live in Cherokee and Cobb counties.

By Jeff

March 9, 2006 03:22 PM | Link to this

Wake up and see the light Atlanta. If they plan on having 3 million more people move here in the next ten years. This idea won’t solve anything. This will just allow more traffic onto 285. The best plan would be to get traffic off of 285, 75 and 85 by building an connector between the two in the north. Bring back the Northern Arc!!! This way people could get from 75 to 85 without having to go to 285. We don’t need bigger freeways. We need more alternate routes.

By Kay

March 9, 2006 03:30 PM | Link to this

Look at all other large cities and what do you see? Mass transit, Rail systems!!! It seems that here everyone agrees. Why is the DOT so dumb? Can’t they hire people with some common sense? Get the clue, we are screaming for some mass transit.

By David Patterson, P.E.

March 9, 2006 03:33 PM | Link to this

Build a MARTA ring about 15-25 miles outside, and all the way around I-285. Have 12 spokes on the ring equidistant apart & all converging toward downtown. That will reduce traffic & save gas & the environment all at the same time… oops I forgot, this is Atlanta & that makes sense… NEVER MIND.

By Dave

March 9, 2006 03:37 PM | Link to this

Of course it’s needed. The traffic on both I-75 and I-575 has far exceeded the capacity. Since the unholy alliance of tree-huggers and Republicans in the affected counties killed the Outer Perimeter and Northern Arc the tremendous amount of truck traffic that would have been diverted at Cartersville has no choice but to come through Cobb County. Of course this new proposal won’t do a thing to help an even worse bottleneck - I-285. But it is still badly needed. I don’t have a problem with more mass transit but anyone who thinks mass transit will make much of a difference is dreaming. I also don’t have a problem with the suggestion to devote some lanes to trucks only as long as the other lanes are car-only. Big-city snobs who think the little people ought to be forced to live in downtown high-rises will resist this improvement of course. And to the idiot who said that this won’t improve smog, only congestion - explain to the rest of us how smog would not be reduced if the average trip time drops measurably. If my car’s engine is running for 20 minutes instead of the hour that it typically takes me to drive from Wade Green RD to the Cobb Cloverleaf then clearly I’m burning less fuel and producing less smog. Duh.

By DF

March 9, 2006 03:39 PM | Link to this

Atlanta needs to re-evaluate why it feels the need to build these lanes. Look at the way Portland, OR handles their growth. They are a well planned city, probably because they don’t have a bunch of monkeys running the place. They have “growth circles” or more properly an urban growth boundary which strictly prohibits developers from building beyond a designated area. And guess what?! It works! They actually have a public transportation system that works too! Imagine that. Wake up Atlanta…

By Walt

March 9, 2006 03:56 PM | Link to this

It is a very good idea. The residents of the metro area are addicted to thier cars. Why build a mass transit system when if it would not be used. The extra lanes will be a great addition to I-75 and it will help traffic greatly.

By Bill

March 9, 2006 04:00 PM | Link to this

Don’t panic everybody. When gas goes to $4/gallon, all of this will be moot. People, at least the working poor, will stop driving because they won’t have jobs. Then, when the economy weakens more, even people with more means will be unable to drive because they won’t have a job either. We’ll all be home frantically searching Monster.com for work. Can you say, “Would you like fries with that?”

By chris

March 9, 2006 04:00 PM | Link to this

Until we can get rid of the stupid idea that “commuting to work in a personal vehicle = wealth,” mass transit will never be a success here in metro Atlanta.

We have to ban car commercial like cigarette commercials and hard liquor commercials were banned from the television.

The people here are mindless fools and believe the car commercials. The reason the education system is so poor here is that the automotive and oil industries have found gold in the stupidity of the inhabitants of this region. They want us to stay dumb and keep spending countless thousands of our own dollars every year on our own vehicles.

Dear Georgia, CARS MAKE YOU POOR LIKE NOTHING ELSE.

By Jeff

March 9, 2006 04:06 PM | Link to this

People screaming for trains don’t have a clue. “Run a track down I-75”. Great, how do you get the people to the train??? There’s no density in Cobb/Cherokee to make a train feasible…there’s barely enough density to make it work in Fulton & Dekalb.

By alan

March 9, 2006 04:12 PM | Link to this

Traffic engineers still believe that adding more lanes will fix congestion. Here’s the secret boys (since you haven’t figured it out on your own during the last 50 years)… if you want less traffic, don’t widen the highway, downsize it. Make traffic such an impossible nightmare that nobody will want to venture onto a highway.

Take the money you were planning on wasting on highway construction and put it into light rail, mixed-use / mixed-income developments where people can live, work and shop without even getting into their car. Ta-daaah!

By Bill

March 9, 2006 04:16 PM | Link to this

Please call or write your REPUBLICAN legislator TODAY and tell them to support a bill which would provide funding to MARTA. We are the only state that does not provide state public funding to our mass transit system. All the redneck legislators from everywhere else in Georgia besides metro Atlanta do not understand public transportation and do not care about that issue because it does not effect their constituents in south Georgia. Until our legislature recognizes that mass transit and rail lines are the way of the future, we will contine to be a city full of smog, traffic, and concrete. Put a MARTA train along every single interstate in metro Atlanta and a MARTA stop in every municipality in metro Atlanta. We have got to stop this nonsense.

By Mark

March 9, 2006 04:21 PM | Link to this

Marta, you’ve got to be kidding!! They can’t get it right inside the perimeter what makes you think they could make it work outside the perimeter? More lanes may not be the best solution but it is a better idea than Marta.

By Richard

March 9, 2006 04:34 PM | Link to this

Metro Atlanta is too big a city not to have a viable mass transit system. When you consider that some countries dont even make $91 Billion dollars in a decade, you would begin to see how utterly stupid it is to continue pursuing this absurdity. There are stock brokers and lawyers who make over $200K a year who still ride the trains to work in NY and SF; but here, any two-bit joker pulling 60K thinks it is beneath him to mingle with the masses. We are so backward we dont recognize that we are killing ourselves with smog. What a joke!

By Michael

March 9, 2006 04:35 PM | Link to this

Great, did anyone think about 285? Where are they going to go? No outer perimeter? Get real here, all we need is a larger parking lot. Just build another interstate! This is stupid!

By jean

March 9, 2006 04:36 PM | Link to this

i can not believe in the year 2006 that the great city of atlanta is as backwoods oops backwards as it is. it has to do with the powers that be. i lived in cobb county for ovr 23 years i recently relocated to pittsburgh pa. the people who are originaly from here complain about the traffic. it is great. when i explain to them the situation in atlanta they aprreciate the traffic in pittsburgh. we all who have any sense know the cure mass transit. when the dot brains decide to stop letting the little people in cobb/gwinnett dictate to them they will stop looking like idiots of the century and do the right thing regardless of what a few nuts think!!! get on with it!!!

By CONNIE

March 9, 2006 04:46 PM | Link to this

If you build it, we will drive on it. The commute times in the ATL are beyond anything I have ever seen. 2 hours to drive 25 miles is just unacceptable. Instead of sending our tax dollars to ever other country in the world, lets spend some here to improve the life we have. I don’t see what all the stink is about. If we’re not sitting in traffice but acually getting where we need to be in a shorter time frame the enviroment is in better shape than with hundreds of thousands of cars sitting in grid lock every day for hours. Stop all the whining and face the facts that we have outgrown I-75. More and more people are moving here because Atlanta Rocks!!!!! Just get a grip and think of sailing home in 20 minutes instead of two hours.

By Yeah I Said It

March 9, 2006 04:48 PM | Link to this

Why not run a MARTA or mass-transit rail up along I-75? Because Cobb and Cherokee residents (and anyone else further up the road) don’t want all the lovely benefits that come with it: increased crime, dropped property values, graffiti artists, poorly maintained facilities that are an eyesore, poverty, thug life, slum developments, increased homelessness, and a large tax hike to pay for it!!! I’d rather sit in traffic!

By Clarence

March 9, 2006 04:55 PM | Link to this

I live in Kennesaw and I would be so happy to drive to a park and ride to hop on a train. I did the bus thing for a while (90 days to be exact) and it didn’t work very well. You have to buy two passes, one for CCT and one for MARTA. What kind of sense does that make? The bus takes so long because it’s caught in the same traffic. Bring on the train down the middle of 75 for people to take the train! Why do we need to suffer through road construction? Let bring on the train Gov Purdue. I guess it’s not high on his list because he doesn’t have to drive in it. He’s only concerned now because he’s up for re-election. I made that mistake once when I voted for him and I certainly won’t make it again. What has he done for transporation? Timed the lights? Big joke! I wish we had a governor that wanted to tackle Atlanta’s traffic problem and elevate this metro to a true world class status!