Mad Man Traffic

Okay, let’s get this year started! I just read an article in the Atlanta Business Chronicle about a big pow-wow Wednesday about the future of transportation in Georgia hosted by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC). I like the people at the ARC. I believe they have very good intentions and direction. But what I don’t like is that we’re not anywhere near enough to recognise the “little things” in transportation that, when added up, make a big d*mn difference! I’m talking about traffic light synchronization. I’m talking about permanent funding for the TRIP program (more on that later). I’m talking about enforcing the traffic laws other than speeding, ie., people stopping in the middle of an intersection blocking traffic trying to get through when they couldn’t make the light; or “steer it and clear it.” I’m talking about leading edge programs into variable speed limits to control traffic flows and accidents. And guess what? None of what I’m talking about costs very much when compared to some of the other “shovel ready” ideas some of politicians want to shovel down our throats or give lucrative contracts to btheir cronies. Start at the beginning. Manage what you got!