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I envision an all-automated transportation system where the highways are half full of transit vehicles, moving a whole lot more people per square inch, thereby getting everyone to their destinations faster. If you are going to a place where the bus doesn't go, or if you still need to commute in a car for whatever reason, then you can still do that. But the problem with the status quo is that everyone does that, and that's what needs to change, period. Then we wouldn't have to spend all our taxes dollars to widen crap that is already twice as wide as it should be.
Honestly, driverless/automated transit, rides for hire (Uber), and private transit is the only silver lining I see to the investment in HOT lanes. The fact that we are installing segregated lanes could really help promote the use of driverless vehicles here in Atlanta earlier on in the development of the tech. Once it becomes available, people are going to want it...bad. We are kinda positioning ourselves well for that demand.
Honestly, driverless/automated transit, rides for hire (Uber), and private transit is the only silver lining I see to the investment in HOT lanes. The fact that we are installing segregated lanes could really help promote the use of driverless vehicles here in Atlanta earlier on in the development of the tech. Once it becomes available, people are going to want it...bad. We are kinda positioning ourselves well for that demand.
Look at Metro Atlanta's road system, which is actually really good, and just imagine that as one massive automated transit system, that goes everywhere and connects everything.
That's what the future should look like. A mix of public and private vehicles, everything smooth and organized and safe, moving around everywhere and merging together intelligently, all in computer efficiency.
We'd still have rush hour jams and slowdowns, but it really wouldn't be so bad if you could sit back and do whatever you want in your vehicle. Sleep, watch a movie, read book, study, play games, whatever. As if you were riding in your own little private train car.
And like I said, a whole bunch of transit vehicles mixed in there too, express and local versions. And with the managed express/HOT lanes on the highways, that could actually really work, if they were kept as a separated system, with physical barriers and not any merging in or out of regular lanes.
I went back to GDOT's garoads.org website and they finally provided a little bit more detail about each project.
I-285/I-20 East Interchange
A routine source of peak period delays, this critical
juncture between two heavily congested interstates in
DeKalb County requires operational and geometry
improvements to address the inefficient flow of traffic, and
safety/operational performance. To address these needs,
various improvements would be developed and constructed
to enhance the overall operation, safety and efficient flow
characteristics of the interchange.
The interchange project would include operational
improvements to the directional ramps including
reconstruction of the I-20 eastbound to I-285 southbound
ramp and the I-285 southbound to I-20 westbound ramp.
In addition to the reconstruction of the interchange,
the project may include:
• One westbound auxiliary lane from Panola Road to
Wesley Chapel Road and the construction of
westbound Collector-Distributor (CD) lanes between
Wesley Chapel Road and the I-20/I-285 interchange.
• A westbound auxiliary lane between Lithonia Industrial
Boulevard and Panola Road.
• Reconstruction of the Miller Road Overpass Bridge to
accommodate the westbound auxiliary lane.
• I-20 eastbound improvements to include construction
of one eastbound auxiliary lane from Panola Road to
Lithonia Industrial Boulevard.
• Reconstruction of the Fairington Road/DeKalb Medical
Parkway Overpass Bridge to accommodate the
eastbound auxiliary lane.
The proposed interchange may include Express Lane
connections in the future.
Estimated Costs*: $534 Million (does not include costs
associated with Express Lane connections)
What the hell. NOTHING in there to deal with the severely antiquated 20-west-to-285-south and 285-south-to-20-east ramps?? The 20-east-to-285-south ramp is hardly ever used, and both it and the 285-south-to-20-west ramps are just fine. Please tell me that that is a typo on their website! Otherwise, I'm starting to get tired of GADOT's preference for C/D lanes at the expense of decent flyover ramps. That is what this interchange needs more than anything.
Quote:
I-285/I-20 West Interchange
The interchange project would consist of lane widening and operational improvements
on I-20 eastbound and westbound to improve the existing lane balance on sections
between Thornton Road and the I-285 Interchange. The project will include:
• Additional lane along I-20 eastbound from Factory Shoals Road Bridge to Six
Flags Parkway.
• Widening of I-20 eastbound to five lanes from Six Flags Parkway to I-285 southbound.
• Additional lane from the I-20 eastbound to I-285 southbound ramp to I-20
eastbound to I-285 northbound ramp exit to provide a separate exit lane for
the I-285 northbound traffic flow, thus requiring the widening of the existing
I-20 bridge.
• A Collector-Distributor system (CD) is proposed between the I-285 Interchange and
Fulton Industrial Boulevard westbound on I-20.
• Reconfiguration of the four existing left-hand exits to right-hand exits with new
alignments and bridges as appropriate. It is anticipated the existing left-hand exits
would be utilized for managed lane connections between I-285 and I-20.
The proposed interchange may include Express Lane connections in the future.
Estimated Costs*: $910 Million (does not include costs associated with Express
Lane connections)
At this interchange, the 285-south-to-20-west and 20-east-to-285-north ramps are the problem ramps. I am not at all optimistic about this project, either.
Quote:
I-285 West Wall Express Lanes, I-20 to I-75
The project would consist of :
• Creating one Express Lane in each direction along I-285 between I-20 and I-75.
• Existing lanes would be maintained and a new 12’ outside lane would be constructed.
• The Express Lane would be separated from the general purpose lanes through the
use of delineators and pavement striping.
• Access to the Express Lane would be provided with the use of direct access ramps
connecting to the surrounding arterial system and slip ramp access to adjacent
general purpose lanes.
Estimated Costs*: $743 Million
Lemme guess, tolls won't pay for this.
Quote:
I-285 East Wall Express Lanes, I-85 to I-20
The project would consist of:
• Creating one Express Lane in each direction along I-285 between I-20 and I-85.
• Existing lanes would be maintained and a new 12’ outside lane would be constructed.
• Express Lane would be separated from the general purpose lanes through the use
of delineators and pavement striping.
• Access to the managed lane would be provided with the use of direct access ramps
connecting to the surrounding arterial system and slip ramp access to adjacent
general purpose lanes.
Estimated Costs*: $659 Million
Good luck fitting these new lanes into this narrow corridor.
Quote:
Revive 285, Express Lanes from I-75 to I-85
The project would consist of the construction of two Express Lanes in each direction, on the
outside of the existing general purpose travel lanes, with operational improvements and
Collector-Distributor (CD) systems at various locations along I-285. Specific operational and
CD system improvements currently being considered for the project include:
• One I-285 westbound auxiliary lane between Roswell Road and Riverside Drive.
• I-75 North/I-285 interchange improvements.
• I-85 North/I-285 interchange improvements.
• I-285 CD lanes from Ashford-Dunwoody Road to SR 141/Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
• I-285 CD lanes from US 23/Buford Highway to I-85.
• The Express Lanes will directly connect to Express Lanes on I-75, I-85 and SR 400.
Estimated Costs*: $5.9 Billion
Dat price tag. I'm gonna remember this the next time I hear anyone complain about the price tag of the proposed MARTA rail expansions.
Quote:
I-75 Truck Lanes: McDonough to Macon
This interstate highway serves as an important freight and motorist corridor that supports
critical coastal port truck traffic and travelers from southern Georgia and Florida. While
truck and passenger car traffic are generally compatible, as the percentage of truck traffic
continues to grow, the increase in truck volume can and will accentuate operational
differences, leading to less efficient traffic streams and increased delays. For example,
compared to cars, trucks cannot accelerate as quickly on long grades. The corridor has
an important evolving need to ensure mobility for all its users and especially to maintain
Georgia’s competitiveness in the movement of goods. By using the Express Lane concept,
and providing a dedicated system of lanes separated from existing general purpose lanes,
mobility is enhanced for both traffic streams. Project would include:
• Addition of two designated, separated truck lanes in the northbound direction along
I-75 from McDonough to I-475 in Macon.
• The truck lanes would be barrier-separated from the general purpose lanes
along I-75.
• The truck lanes will not be tolled.
• The final northern limits will be determined once additional environmental and
traffic studies are conducted.
Estimated Costs*: $2.06 Billion
Probably not a bad idea. I-75 should be 3+ lanes everywhere in the state (and obviously, a lot more as needed around here and near Macon).
Quote:
SR 400 Express Lanes: I-285 to McFarland Road
SR 400 is one of the most congested facilities in metro Atlanta. The addition of Express
Lanes to this corridor will provide additional reliable capacity from I-285 to McFarland
Road. The proposed Express Lanes will be constructed to the inside of the general
purpose lanes and will directly connect to the Revive 285 project. This mobility
enhancing project would consist of:
• Two Express Lanes in each direction along SR 400 between I-285N and McGinnis
Ferry Road.
• One Express Lane in each direction from McGinnis Ferry Road to McFarland Road.
Intermediate access points will be determined as additional coordination,
environmental documentation and design activities are completed on the corridor.
Estimated Costs*: $2.4 Billion
Great, moar lanes.
Quote:
I-85 North Widening: Hamilton Mill to SR 211
This project would consist of:
• Widening I-85 from Hamilton Mill Road to SR 211 and addition of one general
purpose lane in each direction.
• The length of widening is approximately 6.2 miles within Gwinnett and
Barrow counties.
• The project also proposes a striping modification of the 14’ Express Lanes buffer
to accommodate the third general purpose lane between I-985 to Hamilton
Mill Road.
Estimated Costs*: $261 Million
I-85 North Widening: SR 211 to US 129
This project would consist of:
• Widening I-85 from SR 211 to US 129
• One additional general purpose lane in each direction. The length of widening is
approximately 10.5 miles within Barrow and Jackson counties.
Estimated Costs*: $344 Million
This I'm OK with, because I-85 should be three lanes all the way to the South Carolina line IMO.
EDIT: Where on garoads.org did you find all this? I don't see it yet...
Very curious how they plan to "directly connect" the I-85 express lane which runs in the middle of the highway, with the I-285 lanes. Seems to me they would have to completely move a section of I-85.
The dangerous 270 degree ramps at the 20/285 interchanges need to be replaced, but that Top-End price tag is hard to swallow. Why not use that money to build transit?
Wow! $5.9B for extra lanes on 285 just between 75 and 85?! That is $500M a mile!
And that $2.4B for the 400N lanes would be enough to get you MARTA Heavy Rail extended up that far!
$14B total in spending!
While I agree adding congestion tolling will improve traffic, if they want to do it they are going to have to find a way to do it to existing lanes. Adding more lanes to these highways is just no where near cost effective.
$5.9 billion + $679 million for the GA 400/I-285 interchange redo = $6.6 billion just to redesign an interchange and add lanes on one section of I-285. Jeez.
My. God. I just hope that those are some of the more egregious errors I've seen in manuscript--i.e., "including reconstruction of the I-20 eastbound to I-285 southbound ramp and the I-285 southbound to I-20 westbound ramp."--and that both highlighted instances of "to" meant to say "from." Cause those are the ramps that are in dire need of replacement.
But the glaring lack of mention of the ramps in most need of replacement on the west 285/20 interchange doesn't get my hopes up. Sheesh, who the hell put this list together?!
Wow! $5.9B for extra lanes on 285 just between 75 and 85?! That is $500M a mile!
And that $2.4B for the 400N lanes would be enough to get you MARTA Heavy Rail extended up that far!
$14B total in spending!
While I agree adding congestion tolling will improve traffic, if they want to do it they are going to have to find a way to do it to existing lanes. Adding more lanes to these highways is just no where near cost effective.
Too bad that money cant go toward commuter rail instead
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