No relief in sight for Atlanta traffic

July 13, 2006

Traffic in the city of Atlanta is about to get even worse as more and more people decide to move to the area. According to regional planners, more than two million people will move to the Atlanta area in the next 25 years, bringing their cars and trucks with them.

With the roads already jammed with traffic, residents and officials wonder where the extra vehicles will go, and how will people get to work?

Those questions will face whoever is elected governor of Georgia in November.

Traffic in the city of Atlanta is about to get even worse as more and more people decide to move to the area. According to regional planners, more than two million people will move to the Atlanta area in the next 25 years, bringing their cars and trucks with them.

With the roads already jammed with traffic, residents and officials wonder where the extra vehicles will go, and how will people get to work?

Those questions will face whoever is elected governor of Georgia in November.

The state's top elected official also will face the challenge of finding the money to pay for all of the projects that transportation planners say are needed, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Georgia's gasoline tax is the second lowest in the nation, according to the newspaper, and has not been raised in nearly three decades, while the cost of constructing roads and bridges continues to rise. Meanwhile, local transit providers are facing their own financial difficulties and are in search of more money, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The governor may have to soon look into new funding sources, such as raising the gas-tax rate or seeking a transportation sales tax, said Michael Meyer, a Georgia Tech professor and transportation consultant.

"It's pretty clear to me this state is rapidly approaching a crisis in transportation funding," said Meyer.

The governor also may face the growing debate over how much of the state's transportation dollars should be spent on transit projects such as commuter rail or express buses, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In the meantime, state road builders have been faced with record highway contracts, and a new regional transportation funding formula by Gov. Sonny Perdue appears to favor big road projects over transit, the newspaper reported.

Construction of the state's first commuter rail project, between Atlanta and Clayton County, has been delayed amid questions of whether the state Legislature must approve the project, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Sponsored Recommendations

The Science Behind Sustainable Concrete Sealing Solutions

Extend the lifespan and durability of any concrete. PoreShield is a USDA BioPreferred product and is approved for residential, commercial, and industrial use. It works great above...

Powerful Concrete Protection For ANY Application

PoreShield protects concrete surfaces from water, deicing salts, oil and grease stains, and weather extremes. It's just as effective on major interstates as it is on backyard ...

Concrete Protection That’s Easy on the Environment and Tough to Beat

PoreShield's concrete penetration capabilities go just as deep as our American roots. PoreShield is a plant-based, eco-friendly alternative to solvent-based concrete sealers.

Proven Concrete Protection That’s Safe & Sustainable

Real-life DOT field tests and university researchers have found that PoreShieldTM lasts for 10+ years and extends the life of concrete.