Georgia transportation officials are considering a plan to create truck-only lanes on I-75 to help combat traffic jams.
Port Truck Traffic Woes Expected To Increase Without Intervention
As truck traffic explodes at the growing Port of Savannah, transportation officials realize that they need to do something to keep traffic flowing on one of the busiest stretches of interstate within the state — and they hope that giving trucks their own lanes might be the answer. This is especially important as truck traffic is expected to double or even triple in the next few years.
Truck-Only Lanes Project Considered To Be Unprecedented
If the $2 billion proposal passes, it would be the largest truck-only lane project in the U.S, spanning the 40 miles of I-75 northbound between Macon and McDonough. The Georgia Department of Transportation says that they would add two additional lanes to the existing three lanes of northbound I-75.
Truckers Would Use The Lanes For Free
The construction would be paid for with both state and federal funds. Truckers would be able to use the lanes for free.
Some of the project’s detractors say that the cost of building 40 miles of additional lanes will likely far exceed the $2 billion price tag. They also argue about the timing — Georgia may need the additional lanes to fight heavy traffic today, but will they still need them a decade or more from now?
Don’t expect to see truck-only lanes in Georgia any time soon. The proposal is part of a 10 year project and is only in the beginning stages.
Sources:
WALB
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Valdosta Today