As a daily commuter on northwest I-75, I can't seem to understand how "stop and go" lights at on-ramps such as Barrett Parkway are going to relieve the horrendous congestion that is Atlanta traffic.

I, like many of you, have seen the trash-bag-covered stoplights at the end of on-ramps in Cobb County. It's just a matter of time before the bags are removed and turned on, leaving many of us to fend for ourselves. While this "system" temporarily slows down traffic coming onto the interstate, what it really does is cause bottlenecks at the highways that support our interstates.

So what is a county of 1 million supposed to do? I am in full support of this state's organizing a research team to seriously investigate the notion of a commuter rail system linking the suburbs to downtown. Just last week, Forbes magazine named Atlanta traffic the absolute worst in the entire United States. Yep, according to the study, "commuters spend 60 hours a year stuck in traffic, second only to those in Los Angeles." Unbelievable.

I've been to places like Bangkok, Bombay and Frankfurt and ridden their highly efficient mass transit systems. Sadly, the U.S. lags way behind even most developing nations in this regard. True, our cushy cars are comfortable, clean and generally efficient. Why can't public transit be?

If our current economic situation isn't reason enough, last month's survey by the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau certainly is. Tourists polled said Atlanta traffic topped their biggest disappointments during their time here. Is this surprising to you, my fellow I-75 commuters?

Also last month, the Cato Institute published a skeptical report on commuter trains vs. other modes of transportation like buses or cars. According to their research, "Automobiles will continue to become more energy efficient by 2 percent per year, which means that new rail transit lines must be more efficient than future autos to achieve any savings at all." My question is, are there not people today, in the year 2008, driving cars from the '70s, '80s and '90s? Not everybody can afford a Prius or a flex-fuel vehicle.

A commuter rail pass —- now, that sounds doable. Cities such as Dallas have already started their own research on commuter rails. They are looking to connect southwest Fort Worth, downtown, the north side and the Dallas/Fort Worth airport. Dallas is attracting jobs, much like Atlanta. However, they are thinking ahead and moving in the right direction. State of Georgia, please get this ball rolling. Please organize a research team. Please at least entertain this idea. Together we can continue to make strides in being a world-class city. If not, many commuters who feel my pain are going to say B-Y-E to the A-T-L.

> Cara Aliek lives in Kennesaw.

 MATT WUERKER / L.A. Times Syndicate