Disdain Expressed on GA 400 Express Lanes Feasibility Study

Officials from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) visited Forsyth County Thursday night to gather public comments and to pitch the construction of toll lanes as a possible solution to traffic congestion on Georgia 400.

GDOT, through the GA 400 Express Lanes Feasibility study, is looking for ways to improve mobility along a 24-mile stretch of the corridor from SR 20/Buford Highway to I-285.

Thursday night's gathering atwas the second of three planned Open House meetings. The final one is set for Tuesday, March 20 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at .

"The study is for the addition of toll lanes or a no-build option," said GDOT spokeswoman Teri Pope. "If citizens don't think one of those two is feasible then what would they like to see happen on GA 400?"

An easier question to answer might have been what do citizens not want to see?

As they went from station to station to view the maps, attendees said they don't want to see a repeat of what happened on I-85 in Gwinnett County where motorists became so enraged by the confusion and traffic congestion that resulted from the conversion of a general purpose lane into a toll lane, that Gov. Nathan Deal had to cut the toll in half at one point.

"Have we not learned anything from the failure on I-85," asked Forsyth County resident Ralph Stepp. "Over there they thought this would relieve the traffic and it's lead to more congestion."

Transportation officials started looking for ways to relieve congestion along GA 400 in 2005. A feasibility study done at the time explored the option of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. But, two years later, the State Transportation Board directed that all new capacity lanes within limited access corridors in Metro Atlanta shall be "managed lanes."

"This isn't about fixing the traffic situation. It's about raising revenue, said Dennis Brown, a candidate for the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners in Dist. 2. That's all it is. Just another tax unequally administered."

Stuart McMinn called the idea of more toll lanes insane.

"There was an agreement between the state and the people of Georgia that GA 400 was going to be financed by a toll plaza," McMinn said. "Once the balance on the debt was zero, the toll plazas were supposed to go away. Now the road is paid for and not only have they not gone away, now, we're here talking about the feasibility of adding more cost to use a road we've already paid for. It's absolutely insane."

Attendees filled out written surveys to be reviewed by DOT officials. However, if you were unable to attend, another Open House is scheduled for March 20 in Sandy Springs.