Toll tunnel under east Atlanta a top DOT proposal

[DetroitMan]

Toll tunnel under east Atlanta a top DOT proposal
By Ariel Hart The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The toll road tunnel proposal is for real. A controversial concept to link Ga. 400 to I-675 by digging under east Atlanta has for a couple of years found its way onto some policymakers’ wish lists. But this month it found itself someplace better: Among the state Department of Transportation’s top toll projects pitched to private investors and road-building companies.
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/toll...lid=daylf_artr

[Uptowngirl]

That is beyond stupid.
Which is of course why the GDOT will push for it.

[cybele]

Well it looks like GDOT is moving forward with this project.

GDOT to discuss ‘intown interstate,’ other projects with residents

[CT340]

I wouldn't put too much worry into that though...

Reed against Atlanta tunnel
By Ariel Hart

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed told a meeting of Intown Atlanta neighborhood leaders Tuesday night that his opposition to a road tunnel under east Atlanta was "steadfast and absolute" from the moment he heard of it........

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/reed...el-267999.html

[atl2phx]

Originally Posted by CT340

I wouldn't put too much worry into that though...

Reed against Atlanta tunnel
By Ariel Hart

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed told a meeting of Intown Atlanta neighborhood leaders Tuesday night that his opposition to a road tunnel under east Atlanta was "steadfast and absolute" from the moment he heard of it........

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/reed...el-267999.html

it's great that reed is against the tunnel, but at the end of the day, i get the feeling the GDOT can pretty much do whatever they want.

[cabasse]

^
DOT: Atlanta opposition to tunnel does not kill idea

State Department of Transportation leaders said this week that city opposition to a proposed road tunnel under east Atlanta does not kill the idea, at least not yet.

http://www.ajc.com/news/dot-atlanta-...to-268690.html

if this freeway goes through in any shape, i hope it's a tunnel.

[Rail Claimore]

I'd be fine with just extending 675 north to the southern point of the S-curve at I-20. There's enough clear land for that and it might spur development in southeast Atlanta and south DeKalb. But connecting it with 400 via a tunnel sounds more practical than it really is.

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

I'd be fine with just extending 675 north to the southern point of the S-curve at I-20. There's enough clear land for that and it might spur development in southeast Atlanta and south DeKalb. But connecting it with 400 via a tunnel sounds more practical than it really is.

I don't think it sounds practical at all to spend the enourmous cost of building a tunnel just to essentially widen the "connector". To me its bizarre that the GDOT is even seriously considering this.

[cybele]

Well the GDOT has to worry about connectivity for the state and the entire Atlanta area. It seems like people in the city limits start fussing every time somebody wants to widen a road in but how in the heck are folks out in the suburbs supposed to get to the airport?

[atl2phx]

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone

I don't think it sounds practical at all to spend the enourmous cost of building a tunnel just to essentially widen the "connector". To me its bizarre that the GDOT is even seriously considering this.

the tunnel proposal is ridiculous. i will be amazed if the ARC weighs in on this with a positive response when they finally do.

essentially, this project would serve the needs of a wealthy northside, and even then, it would likely only serve a small segment of that group (i.e. those headed to central atlanta AND willing to pay $16 in tolls daily)....WTF, 400 was built to serve this group....expand 400 and then burrow underneath the downtown connector.

isn't it true that most of the traffic in the suburbs is inter-county, inter-suburb and not headed to the center city of atlanta. if so, i would imagine the $/mile it will cost to build this would go much further toward building the northern arc, BRT along the northern perimeter or toll lanes and hov lanes along the northern perimeter.

crazy ass GDOT serving up more cars, more carbon and more special interests.

[netdragon]

A complete and utter waste of money, at least right now. For through traffic, this is what 285 is for. They can build toll lanes on 285 South end. They can build a tunnel under the connector for through traffic. There's no reason they need to cut through the East end. It will destroy the character, since they will build above ground in any areas that don't have the resources to fight it.

[llamaorama]

I guess GDOT must have done some regional study that determined this was necessary?

Where and when did this whole thing start?

[Rail Claimore]

Originally Posted by netdragon

A complete and utter waste of money, at least right now. For through traffic, this is what 285 is for. They can build toll lanes on 285 South end. They can build a tunnel under the connector for through traffic. There's no reason they need to cut through the East end. It will destroy the character, since they will build above ground in any areas that don't have the resources to fight it.

I have a theory... I bet if you took out one lane in each direction on the connector and replaced it with a barrier, separating each direction into local and express (with express exits only at the existing HOV exits and I-20), traffic flow would actually improve.

[cybele]

Originally Posted by llamaorama

I guess GDOT must have done some regional study that determined this was necessary?

Where and when did this whole thing start?

Well the first I heard of it it came from something called the Reason Foundation.

http://reason.org/news/show/126861.html

[GTviajero81]

Originally Posted by cybele

Well the GDOT has to worry about connectivity for the state and the entire Atlanta area. It seems like people in the city limits start fussing every time somebody wants to widen a road in but how in the heck are folks out in the suburbs supposed to get to the airport?

\


Uhhh....TAKE THE DAMN TRAIN!

Seriously?! There is no scheduled flight that leaves after 0100h and a literal handful that leave prior to 0600h.

NO EXCUSE!!

[GTviajero81]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

I have a theory... I bet if you took out one lane in each direction on the connector and replaced it with a barrier, separating each direction into local and express (with express exits only at the existing HOV exits and I-20), traffic flow would actually improve.

Smart idea...this is what is done in Canada. For example, in Toronto these are called Collector/Express Lanes. Every few kilometres one can exit from the Express lanes to the Collector lanes to take an exit. All the exits would still be in place here but those who are only travelling through would stay in the leftmost two or three lanes whilst local travellers would stay in the rightmost lanes. And for a city as big a Toronto that has more people and less freeways that we do, they same to have a pretty good handle on their traffic situation.

And before anyone says anything, their transit system is just as limited as ours.

[ATLaffinity]

Originally Posted by cybele

Well the GDOT has to worry about connectivity for the state and the entire Atlanta area. It seems like people in the city limits start fussing every time somebody wants to widen a road in but how in the heck are folks out in the suburbs supposed to get to the airport?

Move into the fucking city.

We don't care if it's convenient for people to get to the airport.

I take the train with a preschooler. It puts me IN THE TERMINAL.

[cybele]

Originally Posted by ATLaffinity

Move into the fucking city.

We don't care if it's convenient for people to get to the airport.

I take the train with a preschooler. It puts me IN THE TERMINAL.

Well what works for some doesn't necessarily work for all. Not everybody wants to deal with the high price of real estate, the high taxes, the crime and the school situation. A lot of us have pets and gardens and we need space for all that instead of being crammed into some highrise with no closets or a basement. We also love our trees and greenspace.

That doesn't mean we don't need to get to the airport however. You would have to think that the vast majority of Atlantans who use the airport live outside the city limits. If it only relied on people who lived inside the city limits the dang thing most likely would have never been built and it sure wouldn't have gotten to be as big a deal as it is today.

[sabino86]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

I have a theory... I bet if you took out one lane in each direction on the connector and replaced it with a barrier, separating each direction into local and express (with express exits only at the existing HOV exits and I-20), traffic flow would actually improve.

That was actually the original plan of the "Freeing the Freeways" expansion program 25 years ago, but GDOT was lazy and made them general-purpose lanes...

[atl2phx]

Originally Posted by cybele

Well what works for some doesn't necessarily work for all. Not everybody wants to deal with the high price of real estate, the high taxes, the crime and the school situation. A lot of us have pets and gardens and we need space for all that instead of being crammed into some highrise with no closets or a basement. We also love our trees and greenspace.

That doesn't mean we don't need to get to the airport however. You would have to think that the vast majority of Atlantans who use the airport live outside the city limits. If it only relied on people who lived inside the city limits the dang thing most likely would have never been built and it sure wouldn't have gotten to be as big a deal as it is today.

well it's a cost benefit trade off then.

you choose to live in the suburbs, therefore you recognize it's going to be more difficult and require more planning to get to the airport.

WHY SHOULD THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY HAVE TO CARRY THE BURDEN OF MAKING IT CONVENIENT FOR SUBURBANITES TO GET TO THE AIRPORT?

gimme an effing break.