2 • September 1-14, 2018 Nation THETRUCKER.COM T Live every Thursday Facebook.com/TBSfactoring
THETRUCKER.COM Nation September 1-14, 2018 • 3 Georgia officials back off express toll limits in DeKalb, Gwinnett counties THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTA — Georgia transportation officials have eliminated toll limits on express lanes, which could mean a more expensive commute for some motorists. The State Road and Tollway Authority repealed restrictions on toll charges, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. It had been set at a maximum of $13.95 to drive the I-85 lanes in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. The authority also repealed the 90-centper-mile maximum on the I-75 South Metro Express Lanes in Clayton and Henry counties. The cost to drive the full 16-mile length of the I-85 could reach $15 to $16 at times, Authority Executive Director Chris Tomlinson said. But he said most drivers won’t pay that much because they don’t drive the full length of the lanes. “People shouldn’t be alarmed by this,” Tomlinson said. The agency expects the average toll on the lanes to be $5.50 to $6.50. The decision is aimed at standardizing toll rates across all express lanes, the Atlanta newspaper reported. It’s not expected to have an immediate impact on I-75, but was expected to affect I-85 commuters when the new policy took effect August 20. “Who gets to make these decisions without the input of the taxpayers that are footing the bill?” said McDonough resident John Alton. The change in tolls comes as Georgia prepares to open 30 new miles of express lanes on I-75 and I-575 in Cobb and Cherokee counties. They’re part of a planned 120-network of express lanes that will eventually include the northern half of the Perimeter and Georgia 400. The express lanes are a key component of the state’s plans to address metro Atlanta’s often-jammed freeways. The idea is that motorists who use those lanes will be able to travel at least 45 mph — if they’re willing to pay a toll. Group: Fewer expressways needed in Chicago area THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES CHICAGO — A new analysis shows the Chicago region has grown more car dependent since 1980, and that a different approach is needed to create healthier, more sustainable and more equitable communities, the Active Transportation Alliance said citing its 2018 Regional Mode Share Report. The alliance, whose stated mission is to promote walking, bicycling and public transit to create healthy, sustainable and equitable communities, called for a moratorium on expressway expansion as one means of slowing the dependency auto travel. “The report demonstrates the region’s inability to build its way out of traffic congestion,” Ron Burke, the executive director, wrote in a blog on the organization’s website “A larger percentage of Chicagoland residents are driving to work today compared to 1980, and the total amount of driving in the region has grown approximately four times faster than the population. While the region’s population grew by 18 percent since 1980, the traffic increased by 66 percent in the same period.” The report notes that the Chicagoland region has seen a substantial decrease in walking, biking and transit work trips since 1980 when nearly a quarter of residents used one of these modes to get to work. 8 In order to make that happen, the authority raises the toll as traffic gets worse. The aim is to raise it high enough to discourage some people from using the express lanes, which keeps traffic moving. 8 DRIVE WITH COMMITMENT PHOTO BY PROFESSIONAL DRIVER LUIS ANAYA JOIN THE TEAM THAT RESPECTS PROFESSIONALISM, EXPERIENCE AND LOYALTY. CFI is looking for drivers who know what it means to do the job and do it right. They take pride in their safety records and on-time deliveries. They value their time at home and appreciate being treated not just as employees but members of a family. They’ll be committed to a company that’s committed to them. If this is you, this is CFI. Let’s talk. cfidrive.com | (844) 846-1953
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