Toll lanes are best use of transit money
According to the Atlanta Regional Commission, the metro Atlanta population will continue to spread out and grow by almost 50 per cent in the next 20 years. Forsyth County is projected to double in size to almost a half million people. In our region, there is no single high-density area. Instead, metro Atlanta is very much decentralized. Addressing congestion problems with heavy rail in a region which spans 50 miles in all directions and which contains multiple high-density population and job centers is cost-prohibitive.
The best use of transit money in this region is to build high-occupancy toll lanes adjacent to crowded highways. All citizens are efficiently served when this more-useful infrastructure provides the same transit capacity using buses instead of trains at far less cost. As an added bonus, vanpools get the same toll-free privileges as buses, and auto drivers willing to pay a variable toll based on congestion levels have an alternative to congestion available to them any time of day.
JOEL SMITH, STOCKBRIDGE
Deal shows sensitivity in gun bill veto
To Gov. Nathan Deal, thank you for your veto of the “religious liberty” bill (HB757) last month and the “campus carry” bill (HB859) on May 3. Each of your actions represented an enormous act of political courage, especially in an election year.
To your credit, you have shown remarkable sensitivity in understanding what is best for Georgia and Georgians. For that vision, we are grateful to you.
RICK AND GLORIA LAPIN, DUNWOODY
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