Georgia looking at toll option

Georgia has tolling on its mind.

The commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation, Gena Abraham, made that clear during a Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce luncheon on May 28. Abraham said she discussed the idea of tolls with the governor’s office and the office of the state House speaker.

“Taking general purpose lanes and converting them to tolled lanes is a very difficult political animal, and I’m very aware of that,” she told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Congestion pricing and changes in bond payment rules also were discussed.

Abraham, however, was not sure how those tolls would be collected. She appeared against public-private partnerships at the luncheon.

“There are projects in Gwinnett County [and others] that we will probably not be able to afford to proceed with,” she told the Journal-Constitution. “The reality that we’re looking at and what we’re going to be thinking about is what projects are the priority for communities.”

Even though Gwinnett County is facing tough financial times, Commission Chairman Charles Bannister did not like the idea of tolling.

“That simply won’t fly at the moment,” he told the Journal-Constitution.