Mad Man Traffic

In an article in the Atlanta Business Chronicle legislation is being introduced, again, to let us vote by region for transportation infrastructure improvements through local taxation. No one likes more taxes. But no one likes the prospect of traffic in Atlanta getting worse.

Unless your House Speaker Glen Richardson. Richardson opposes the idea of a regional approach to traffic instead proposing a statewide approach telling the ABC, “Let’s look at fixing transportation in Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Macon, Valdosta, you pick the area. Okay I will. ATLANTA, ATLANTA, ATLANTA! You can put the entire population of Valdosta into Turner Field! You can put the entire population of “metropolitan” Valdosta in the Georgia World Congress Center! And still have parking! No disrespect intended towards the “Azalea City” but I smell pork. And I know they used to have a great barbecue contest down yonder in Moultrie. But that’s not the kinda’ pork I smell and I’m not a “Packer backer.” Atlanta is the economic engine that drives the state. Glen Richardson doesn’t speak for me. Nor does he speak for the majority of people and businesses doin’ bid’ness in metropolitan Atlanta, the population of which would need about 100 Turner Fields. Let the people decide. Let them vote on a constitutional amendment. We don’t have time anymore to stop and smell the Azaleas in Lowndes County. Except maybe in March during the festival, if there’s not too much traffic trying to get outta’ Atlanta.

…that’s why we invited you: Jim Maddux, party pooper. The Atlanta city councilman has apparently been breathing too much sewer gas from the city’s decaying infrastructure. He’s floating the lame-brained idea of turning off the lights on portions of 3 interstates that run through Atlanta so the city doesn’t have to pay the bill. But the city would pay the price. The Downtown Connector between Brookwood near 17th and I-20 is one of the 5 busiest stretches of road in the entire nation! And you want to turn out the lights or make the feds or state pay?!? Brian Allen who runs Gwinnett County’s DoT is thinking along the same lines. He tells the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “It may be more important to keep ambulances and fire trucks running than it is to have interstate lights.” Right. Sure. On I-85 in Gwinnett County. Believe me that road’s a hazard in broad daylight. Those vehicles will be worn out. Smooth move Ex-lax. In these treacherous economic times that we’re dealing with, on all levels, we need people, leaders, with workable solutions. Not poorly thought out ideas. It’s obvious there’s no one home at Jim Maddux’s house. But the lights are on.

Recently, I got a copy of an article from the AJC about some of the area’s mayors meeting to talk about my favorite subject, traffic. The problem I have is they see the problem incorrectly. They spoke about wanting to come up with taxes or fee’s. Typical politicans. Trying to spend their way out of a problem, I guess. What amazes me is none of them is aware of the work of a number of agencies and people here in the metro area who meet on a regular basis to come up with practical low-cost or no-cost solutions to easing congestion. That would be the TIME Task Force. There’s link on this page. I recently became a board member of the group. How can I talk and write about traffic if I’m not willing to get into the game? These are dedicated professionals from the DoT, police, fire, EMS, towing & recovery and the state and federal government all actually coming up with practical answers or ideas to the questions these community leaders claim they’re looking for. They need to get involved. It’s as plain as the poorly-timed traffic lights in their cities.