The Georgia Department of Transportation has proposed building reversible managed lanes from the I-675/I-75 merger in Clayton County to Hwy 155 in McDonough – about 12 miles in length – to help alleviate congestion in the South Metro area. Some comments I’ve read criticize the proposal since these lanes would be accessible only if you pay a toll, but I think it’s a innovative way to keep people moving with a track record of success. What’s more, similar projects elsewhere, such as the 91 Express Lanes in Orange County, California, have worked so well that is actually a money maker.
I know there was a public hearing about them last night at Eagles Landing High School in McDonough (I wasn’t able to make it), but I haven’t heard about the reaction of those who attended. I do hope this project is something that will be embraced. This is something I’ve been pushing for a few years now as a sustainable method of transportation that will move a significant number of people. It beats dropping money on rail lines that won’t do anything to deal with Metro Atlanta’s traffic congestion.
If you’re interested in this project and want to know about how similar projects have worked in other places around the country, the 91 Express Lanes were featured in this video by Reason TV:
They were also featured by John Stossel on 20/20 back in 2009:
