State audit finds politics appears to drive GDOT road funding (Atlanta: 2015, how much)

[Gulch]

Ga. Audit Finds Politics Appears To Drive GDOT Road Funding | WABE 90.1 FM

Politics are behind where Georgia builds new roads, according to a majority of local officials surveyed in a state audit critical of the Georgia Department of Transportation’s planning division for failing to effectively review major infrastructure projects before they’re selected for construction.

GDOT “lacks initial selection criteria” the audit said, and “projects are scored after” GDOT has already decided to build them. The audit says GDOT’s analysis criteria “are not well aligned” with the agency’s goals.

The audit highlights GDOT’s plan to install truck-only lanes on Interstate-75 between Atlanta and Macon at a cost of $2 billion, about a fifth of the funds provided by a transportation law state legislators approved in 2015.

A 2008 analysis of the truck-only lanes project showed it “appeared to have preliminary merit,” but the audit called that “insufficient justification for a major investment.” A 2016 analysis of the project estimated it would reduce traffic delays, but that was after the truck-only lanes were already set to be built.

Jay Roberts, GDOT planning director, said if the 2016 analysis hadn’t shown the project would reduce traffic the agency would have killed it.

“The report validated what we already knew,” he said.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by Gulch

Ga. Audit Finds Politics Appears To Drive GDOT Road Funding | WABE 90.1 FM

I wonder how much of this is actually in GDOT's control, vs. how much is mandated from the state via the given budget.

[Newsboy]

Shocking!

[PKCorey]

And water is wet...

[cqholt]

But MARTA is so wasteful!

[AcidSnake]

As long as the state don't try that mess with putting toll lanes on I-20 through South Dekalb without first allowing a MARTA rail station, I'm good.