Archive Issue

As the city of Atlanta embarks upon implementing its first-ever comprehensive transportation plan, the challenges at hand loom large. The patterns of investment, growth, and development that have sustained the city for the past 60 years are showing their age. Concerns about congestion, the continued viability of the transit system, ever-growing demands on revenue streams and impending fuel, economic, environmental, and air quality concerns can seem insurmountable. Rather than continue past patterns of predominantly investing in one narrow approach (arterials, freeways), the city has chosen to .... READ MORE

We must learn to recognize transportation as an interdependent system comprised of networks of mobility--getting us around--and access--getting us there. We will not arrive at transportation adequacy by forever questing for magic bullet solutions competing with each other to solve the perceived problem of the day. Only by understanding transportation holistically, including both roadways and transit, as the lifeblood and determinant of economic development and residential settlement patterns can Atlanta and the state climb out of the hole they have dug for themselves, a hole that they risk con.... READ MORE

The Structural Engineers Association of Georgia (SEAOG) convened on Saturday evening, March 7, for their first Excellence in Structural Engineering ("ESE") Awards Banquet. About 80 engineers, sponsors, and guests gathered in The Georgian Club in the Cobb Galleria for a fine evening of dining, entertainment, and well-deserved recognition of exceptional innovation and creativity by Georgia structural engineers.

SEAOG launched its first ESE Awards program in 2008 in order to recognize the high quality structural engineering that is performed in Georgia year in and year out by the larg.... READ MORE

When Ford announced the closure of its former Atlanta Assembly Plant property in Hapeville, Jacoby Development Inc. (JDI) recognized the next logical step for Atlanta is to build on its--and the region's--single greatest economic engine, the world's busiest airport. JDI further recognized that just as seaports drove development in the 18th century, railroads drove development in the 19th century, and cars drove development in the 20th century, it is airports (as evidenced globally, particularly in Asia and in the U.S. examples such as Dulles and Dallas) that will drive the most important, prog.... READ MORE

The State of Georgia and the Metropolitan Atlanta area are at a crossroads. As one of the fastest growing areas in the United States, the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) estimates that the population in its 20-county transportation planning area will grow from 4.2 million in 2000 to 7.0 million in 2030, a 67 percent increase. Employment in the region is forecasted to increase from 2.8 million in 2000 to 4.9 million by 2030, a 75 percent increase. The significant forecasted increases in population and employment will result in strong vehicle miles traveled (VMT) growth that will challenge th.... READ MORE

Some weeks ago, I attended the monthly meeting of the Intelligent Transportation Society of Georgia (ITS). While much of the conversation was about the adequacy of Georgia's transportation funding, there was also a short presentation on ITS's goals.  One especially struck me, "Serve as the Thought Leader in Transportation Policy." There is lots of thinking required.  
   
Transportation funding is far short of what is required.  Does enhanced funding come from gas tax, a new sales tax, or a 21st Century VMT (vehicle miles traveled) tax?  Do we invest i.... READ MORE

Thank you to The Georgia Engineer magazine for allowing me this opportunity to highlight a number of economic issues facing our nation and the steps I believe we must take to pull ourselves out and get our economy humming again.  
        
First, I must say that I voted against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Conference Report, also known as the stimulus bill, because it fails to confront the root problems causing America's economic downturn. The overall legislation is yet another example of Congress throwing money at the sympto.... READ MORE

The Atlanta BeltLine is the country's largest, most comprehensive urban redevelopment project. When complete, it will have remediated brownfields, preserved historic structures, and created 22 miles of transit, 33 miles of trails, 1200 acres of parks and greenspace, and thousands of units of affordable housing along 22 miles of historic rail corridor encircling the city. But to define the BeltLine merely as the sum of these parts is to miss the point. With this one initiative, Atlanta is investing in a green infrastructure envisioned by Georgia Tech student Ryan Gravel, fleshed out by master p.... READ MORE

The concept of Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is an international movement that began in the 1970s in Denmark and quickly spread to the United States in the 1990s. It is now a worldwide phenomenon.

Georgia's SRTS program was established in 2005 and is administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety. Georgia's program is managed by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). The program's objectives are:

- to enable and encourage children to walk and bike to school.
- encourage healthy and active lifestyles at an early age.
- promote pedest.... READ MORE

Public Private Partnerships in Georgia are usually thought of in terms of major interstate projects such as the I-75 Corridor now under consideration, or the other proposals submitted under Georgia Department of Transportation's Public Private Initiatives.  However, metro Atlanta's Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) are an excellent example of how public-private partnerships can and do work all over metropolitan Atlanta.  Through CIDs, private businesses form together a CID association, within a certain geographic boundary, that agrees to place on themselves an additional propert.... READ MORE

Everyone knows the economy is in the tank; it has been so for over a year, and most say it will continue that way for another year.  Economic Stimulus Number One was a payment of $300 per taxpayer, Number Two was $700 billion to stabilize the financial system (I think), and Number Three was the $876 billion approved in February.  There are other things that constitute federal spending, or the potential of it, but they seem to involve back office financial dealings by the Fed.  Everyone has an opinion on Numbers One, Two, and Three--some nonsense, some wisdom, and some confusion..... READ MORE

On March 6th, the Georgia Engineering Alliance hosted the '2009 Georgia's Infrastructure and Environment Summit'. The Summit was held at the Georgia Freight Depot with over 250 people in attendance.  The 2009 Georgia's Infrastructure and Environment Summit was presented by the Georgia Engineering Alliance in association with the American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia, American Society of Civil Engineers of Georgia and the Georgia Association of Water Professionals.
   
The purpose of this summit was to address the new economic stimulus package proposed.... READ MORE

This year, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority will mark its 30th anniversary of providing combined bus and rail service to the Atlanta metro region. In June of 1979, the first MARTA train rolled westbound from the East Lake Station, restoring Atlanta to the list of cities that have clean and efficient electric transit. Since then, billions of trips have been taken on the MARTA system providing tremendous economic benefit to the Atlanta Region through congestion relief, economic development, and improved access for employment and education for the residents of the region. MARTA.... READ MORE

This year's big legislative issue for engineers is transportation funding.  Where do we stand?  At this writing, the Senate has passed its version (one percent sales tax on a regional basis), and the House has passed it version (statewide  one percent sales tax), the DOT Board has just fired its commissioner (who remains in charge of the State Road and Tollway Authority), and the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker are supporting a bill (we'll see to what degree) to assign most of DOT's responsibilities to a new super agency.  All of these are really big issues.  To ha.... READ MORE

A wise politician once said, "Money never starts an idea. It is always the idea that starts the money." And with our nation facing a problem of historic proportions when it comes to infrastructure and infrastructure funding, it is past time for the ideas to start flowing.
   
The infrastructure crisis is substantial and undeniable. Though the American public and its infrastructure are about to benefit considerably from the upcoming stimulus package—Georgia, in particular, will receive $932 million in federal stimulus funds—that money is not a long-term, sustainable solut.... READ MORE

The Georgia coast, like many coastal areas, is growing rapidly. This growth places a huge demand on the area's existing transportation resources, and with the recent funding shortfalls, seriously impacts the ability of state and local governments to meet the burgeoning transportation needs.

Liberty County, which was primarily rural until recent years, has become an area of particular interest because of the amount of developable land, beautiful coastal scenery and natural resources, and easy access to I-95. In addition, the expansion of Ft. Stewart, a major U.S. Army installation,.... READ MORE