Gridlock Guy: You can help shape policy with DOT, MARTA on WSB Radio

Transportation is one of the biggest issues on Atlantans’ minds and has been arguably the biggest story of 2015. From the bold Interstate 75 Northwest Corridor Express Lanes project in Cobb and Cherokee, to the billion dollar transportation funding bill in the legislature, to the Interstate 285 plane crash, some of the biggest Atlanta traffic stories of all time came this year.

Captain Herb Emory started a tradition on News 95.5FM and AM750 WSB years ago. He would annually gather some of the WSB Traffic Team and at least one local official and open up the phone lines to give WSB listeners exclusive access to them. Today, you will have that chance again.

Smilin’ Mark McKay (whom you hear in the WSB Skycopter every morning on WSB Radio and WSB-TV) and I will co-host the Atlanta Traffic Show from 9 - 11 a.m. on News 95.5FM and AM-750 WSB. WSB Traffic Team expert reporters Mark Arum, Kim McCarthy, and Ashley Frasca will be on hand with us to answer your questions and sift through some of Atlanta traffic’s biggest issues.

But the biggest value to this show may very well be our special guest. GDOT commissioner Russell McMurry will join us for most of the show to discuss issues, such as the I-75 HOT lanes project, the variable speed limit signs on I-285, how long traffic incidents take to clear, and the dangers of texting and driving.

One angle that we simply cannot ignore, however, is the turnaround for the oft beleaguered MARTA system. MARTA CEO Keith Parker was not available for the show, but the man who recommended him to Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is. MARTA Board Chairman Robbie Ashe will be on hand to discuss the multi-billion dollar MARTA expansion proposal, the programs to revitalize mass transit in Atlanta, and MARTA’s biggest obstacles. But, like McMurry, Ashe will also answer listeners’ questions.

We will have a full slate of calls and and a very limited time to put them on the air. So we want you to engage in the discussion. Tweet your DOT, MARTA, or overall traffic questions with the tag “#AskWSB.” You can also email questions or comments to wsbtraffictips@gmail.com or post them on the News 95.5FM and AM-750 WSB Facebook page also tagged with “#AskWSB.”

We will collect all of these questions and give them to DOT and MARTA to answer after the show. Then we will publish the answers on my “Atlanta Traffic Blog” on the traffic page on wsbradio.com.

If you aren’t near a radio Monday, you can hear our live stream on the WSB Radio app and on wsbradio.com. We also plan to podcast the show and leave it for on-demand listening on wsbradio.com.

Traffic is almost a universal issue to which most of us can relate. If you want to weigh in on something that affects your life and takes a large amount of your time, Monday is a great chance. We welcome your feedback in any space and thank you for it. Projecting your voice directly to state officials can shape policy. This is like voting, except it can count for even more. Don’t waste that opportunity.