LAST WEEK: ARE TOLL LANES THE ANSWER FOR HENRY COUNTY TRAFFIC CONGESTION?
The construction of new reversible managed toll lanes along Imterstate 75 are coming through Henry County, stretching about 12 miles from Stockbridge near the Interstate 675 merge to the southern end of McDonough.
Officials from the Georgia Department of Transportation met this week with members of the media at the Henry County Chamber of Commerce to update the status of the project and encourage those in attendance to get the word out on what state and local leaders are saying is a must project, as they believe the expressway in its current form cannot sustain future demand.
Here is what some of our readers have to say last week about whether the new toll lanes will help reduce traffic congestion:
There is no doubt the additions to I-75 south through Henry County will help but there is an inherent problem with the policy of usage on interstate that could be easily changed which would greatly reduce traffic congestion in this area with only a minor expenditure.
If the large trucks were given the left two lanes to travel in through this hilly area where the automobile traffic causes then to loose their speed as the autos come out of the entrance ramps and slow them down, a reduction in the congestion would be easily achieved. It would only take a few signs to move the trucks to the left lane or lanes through this area. The reduction in the interference with their travel speed and the traffic trying to negotiate around them would also improve the safety of all on the road.
— William H. Emory
I live in DeKalb County, but I travel to Macon at least once a week. I cringe before every trip because there’s no good time to go — early morning, late night, mid-day is all the same traffic, traffic, traffic. I’m not a fan of paying a toll, but something has to happen and someone has to pay for it.
I’d rather see local road for residents that’s maybe underneath a highway for people headed farther out. I’ve seen those in Florida and other places and it seems to work there.
— IJS
Monroe Roark for the AJC
Powder Springs has had four city managers in the last 10 years, not counting three interim city managers. Now the city council, by a 3-2 vote in September, has decided to hire a search firm at up to $28,500 to find a new city manager to replace Brad Hulsey.
Once the city’s mayor, Hulsey announced his resignation in September after serving since February 2012, first as the interim city manager until he was chosen to serve as city manager in October 2012.
Opposed to the search firm, Councilwoman Nancy Hudson and Councilman Al Thurman said it was too much money. Councilman Chris Wizner, a medical doctor, said the $28,500 is “a deal” compared to the $100,000 charged by recruitment firms for doctors.
The day after Hulsey left on Nov. 21, Pam Conner, the city’s director of the Community Development Department, became the interim city manager. Conner, who holds a law degree, has served on the city’s staff for 17 years.
Conner’s selection also was opposed by both Hudson and Thurman with Hudson saying someone from outside the city needed to serve instead.
Mayor since 2005, Patricia Vaughn has also been the interim city manager twice for nearly three years during city manager searches.
We want to hear from you, Powder Springs residents. Should city officials spend your money for a search firm? Should they promote from within, as they did with Hulsey, and appoint Conner? Do you have other ideas? Your comments will be reviewed, and some of them will appear in this column next Sunday.
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