National Public Radio reported this afternoon that The State of Georgia is going to build a toll free dedicated truck highway from Atlanta to Macon. Nothing but trucks will be allowed to use it and it will cost $2 Billion (Billion, with a "B") dollars. It will be the first totally truck highway in the nation. It will also act as a test bed for self driving trucks and "platooned" trucks. As we know, the two southeastern class 1 carriers,CSX and NS, have been cutting back on customer service and capacity in order to achieve an ever higher OR. CSX has been doing this more than NS has, still, NS closed it's hump at Chattanooga with the result of it's sidings being plugged in the area. Both carriers have "run off" business, for no good reason that I can see. It seems that the industry has been on the retreat, at least in the south, where I live. I had hoped, this many years after deregulation, that the industry would be expanding and going after new business, but that is not the world we live in is it? I guess I don't really blame GADOT for what they are doing. With railroads refusing traffic, that has to go somewhere, I might be forced to the same conclusion if I were in their place. It makes me mad and sad at the same time. The state of the southeastern carriers was totally self inflicted by these "vulture capitalists" that destroy, then take the money and run. I feel like the railroad industry, at least in the south, is on a march to total irrelevance. I wish as a society we would bring Paul Hilal, and his kind, to heal, but I know that won't happen either. So what is the take away from all this? Get your pictures while you can. Do your train watching while you can. Have all the experiences with trains while you can. I have pretty much lost faith in the industry to be able to survive it's own incompetence and slothfulness.
overall State of Georgia is going to build a toll free dedicated truck highway from Atlanta to Macon. Nothing but trucks
Russell
I remember my Dad talking about the "new" Interstate system that was proposed and just starting to be built. The original reason to build the Interstates were to help evacuate cities in the event of a nuclear attack, but outside of an evacuation, the Interstates were to be for trucks only. People were trying to figure out what constituted a "truck" so they could buy something that was permissible to use on the new road so they could pack up the familly and go on vacation using the new roads.
Then it was recognized that if the general public were prohibited from using the new roads, they would have no idea how to drive on them sensibly, nor know where they went and they would thus be worse than useless.
I wonder how many tax payers in Georia will question the use of their money for something they are not to be allowed to use.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Semper VaporoThe original reason to build the Interstates were to help evacuate cities in the event of a nuclear attack, ...
This is why (despite current speed limits), the Interstates were designed to be driven at high speeds - wide curves, etc.
Let's not forget the original law creating the system: National Interstate and Defense Highways Act.
I recall hearing at one point that one design criterea for the roads was the ability to handle tanks and the like, which explains the use of concrete instead of asphalt.
And I recall seeing convoys of tanks on the Interstates years ago.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68And I recall seeing convoys of tanks on the Interstates years ago.
Ike got the idea from running those down the Autobahns.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
tree68 Semper Vaporo The original reason to build the Interstates were to help evacuate cities in the event of a nuclear attack, ... This is why (despite current speed limits), the Interstates were designed to be driven at high speeds - wide curves, etc. Let's not forget the original law creating the system: National Interstate and Defense Highways Act. I recall hearing at one point that one design criterea for the roads was the ability to handle tanks and the like, which explains the use of concrete instead of asphalt. And I recall seeing convoys of tanks on the Interstates years ago.
Semper Vaporo The original reason to build the Interstates were to help evacuate cities in the event of a nuclear attack, ...
If you drive I-95 much, you will undoubtedly pass one or more military convoys traveling to or from one of the multitude of military bases that are adjacent to the route of I-95.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I dunno. $2 Billion for approx. 90 miles of freeway seems pretty low. At a 300 wide ROW, you would need to buy something like 3,300 acres of property- a lot of it in prime real eastate areas. Are you sure the $2 Billion wouldn't be eaten up just buying the dirt? Trucks do pay some of the costs for roads in the form of fuel and other taxes.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
overallNational Public Radio reported this afternoon that The State of Georgia is going to build a toll free dedicated truck highway from Atlanta to Macon. Nothing but trucks will be allowed to use it and it will cost $2 Billion (Billion, with a "B") dollars. It will be the first totally truck highway in the nation. It will also act as a test bed for self driving trucks and "platooned" trucks. As we know, the two southeastern class 1 carriers,CSX and NS, have been cutting back on customer service and capacity in order to achieve an ever higher OR. CSX has been doing this more than NS has, still, NS closed it's hump at Chattanooga with the result of it's sidings being plugged in the area. Both carriers have "run off" business, for no good reason that I can see. It seems that the industry has been on the retreat, at least in the south, where I live. I had hoped, this many years after deregulation, that the industry would be expanding and going after new business, but that is not the world we live in is it? I guess I don't really blame GADOT for what they are doing. With railroads refusing traffic, that has to go somewhere, I might be forced to the same conclusion if I were in their place. It makes me mad and sad at the same time. The state of the southeastern carriers was totally self inflicted by these "vulture capitalists" that destroy, then take the money and run. I feel like the railroad industry, at least in the south, is on a march to total irrelevance. I wish as a society we would bring Paul Hilal, and his kind, to heal, but I know that won't happen either. So what is the take away from all this? Get your pictures while you can. Do your train watching while you can. Have all the experiences with trains while you can. I have pretty much lost faith in the industry to be able to survive it's own incompetence and slothfulness.
Vulture capitalist is giving vultures a bad name. Vulture thrive on eating carrion - already dead animals. Mantle Ridge and others like it are Portuguese man o' war capitalist. The Portuguese man o' war stings living fish and other prey, reel them in toward the main portion of the animal and ingest all the innards of the prey and then leave just the framework of the prey's scales.
BaltACD Mantle Ridge and others like it are Portuguese man o' war capitalist.
Mantle Ridge and others like it are Portuguese man o' war capitalist.
You are too kind. I prefer "Chestburster Capitalist".
They burrow into the live victim, living off them for some time, and when they are done leap outward and onward to the next one, discarding the host's ruined corpse.
As I understand it, this is a plan to add two, barrier-separated truck-only lanes to the existing I-75 interstate highway. It is a long-term plan that won't be finished until 2029 at the earliest. I would expect it to make the road safer and to reduce delays. Will it increase truck traffic over the alternative status-quo? I don't know.
- Ed Kyle
The Garden State Parkway use to have truck lanes separated by guard rails from the passenger lanes. Cars were allowed on the truck lanes. Years ago (back in the 70's) coming home (North Jershey) from the shore use to take the truck lane as the passenger lanes were jammed up. One benefit is learning to ride "rocking chair." Which now living in Central PA is a much used skill.
If I were a taxpayer in Georgia I'd be pretty upset about the toll-free subsidy to the trucking industry.
To be similarly fair, the state should build new 2-track main line tracks that any railroad company could use for free. Signals / PTC could take care of spacing and other saferty issues.
- PDN.
They got a private-public company to build the toll lanes for the passenger cars so they must have some extra money laying around after enacting that big fuel tax in 2015. :)
Besides if the go to all that work of deeping the Port of Savannah and nobody uses it someone will look bad.
I believe you are mistaking the Turnpike for the Parkway. In the old days the truck lanes started somewhere around exit 8, but I always went by way of 9 at New Brunswick so it didn't matter. Now I think the separate truck lanes go all the way to the bridge to Pennsylvania.
Yes, if you didn't mind running cheek by jowl with trucks and buses, you could easily run 100mph in the truck lanes sometimes when the car-only lanes were down to a crawl. (And don't forget to take the "Lincoln Tunnel exit" to get on the eastern extension, to get a nifty view of the PRR coming around the long curve out of the tunnel and across the long embankment, instead of the sorry view of 'meadowlands' on the other route, complicated in those days by being only 2 lanes wide in places and subject to delays.)
rdamonThey got a private-public company to build the toll lanes for the passenger cars so they must have some extra money laying around after enacting that big fuel tax in 2015. :) Besides if the go to all that work of deeping the Port of Savannah and nobody uses it someone will look bad.
Port of Savannah container handlings are on the rise.
Walking along the Savannah River and watching a freighter moving past you is awe inspiring that you can be that close to that big of a object that is moving. Current ocean going vessels dwarf the stature of mankind.
From what I’ve read, it’s to be 38 miles of two lane northbound from Macon, exclusively for trucks. I would hope it would be tolled (for once) to reflect its full cost. Tired of distorted economics “for the common good”.
And then you need a railroad interested in a shuttle service.Regards, Volker
While not directly related to the Georgia screwing of it's taxpayers, Georgia is not alone: Foxconn will be building a facility in Racine county (just south of Milwaukee county). They are the beneficiary of special legislation that set up Foxconn’s $3 billion in tax credits and breaks, snd has also authorized $252.4 million in borrowing to complete the expansion of I-94 in Racine County.https://www.biztimes.com/2017/ideas/government-politics/foxconn-wants-autonomous-vehicle-lane-as-part-of-i-94-expansion/
Nevermind that the rest of the state's roads are crumbling.
https://rightwisconsin.com/2017/07/05/statement-from-tda-on-transportation-debate At least the toady governor can look all smarmy at press conferences.
Paul_D_North_Jr If I were a taxpayer in Georgia I'd be pretty upset about the toll-free subsidy to the trucking industry. To be similarly fair, the state should build new 2-track main line tracks that any railroad company could use for free. Signals / PTC could take care of spacing and other saferty issues. - PDN.
Lately, I've been thinking items like this aren't really being done to subsidize the trucking industry. Yes, they do benefit because it keeps their costs lower and encourges the use of trucks, but the real subsidy is to shippers/receivers. Especially the major corporations, the same ones that complain about rail rates. And also usually extort economic subsidy in many forms from local and state governments when they announce either building a new facility or threatening to close an existing one.
I believe most trucking companies will, as much as possible eat certain costs to retain business. The large industrial corporations now this. They also know that eventually there comes a point when trucking companies can no longer do this. They run out of a choice of companies because all have reached that point and they can't play off one against another. Unless they want to use the "zombie" truckers that were once discussed. So the next thing to keep transportation costs low is to get more subsidy out of the general public. Instead of making truckers pay for it, and possibly having to pass on costs to the shippers, just let taxpayers pay for it. The reasoning to do this will be that it will keep costs from rising in the long run for the taxpayers, i.e. consummers. It won't of course, but such truths have never stopped any politican before.
Besides, in the political world, money spent on railroad projects are viewed as "subsidies." Money spent on highway (and other transportation infrastructure) are viewed as "investments."
Jeff
SD70DudeIke got the idea from running those down the Autobahns.
Actually the idea is older than that. In the 1930's the Army commissioned a convoy of trucks to cross the nation. It took weeks and was fraught with problems. The officer in charge of the convoy was named Eisenhower.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusmanIn the 1930's the Army commissioned a convoy of trucks to cross the nation. It took weeks and was fraught with problems. The officer in charge of the convoy was named Eisenhower.
Wasn't that in 1919?
1919 sounds right - 1930's is much too late.
jeffhergert ....It won't of course, but such truths have never stopped any politican before. Besides, in the political world, money spent on railroad projects are viewed as "subsidies." Money spent on highway (and other transportation infrastructure) are viewed as "investments." Jeff
....It won't of course, but such truths have never stopped any politican before.
dehusman Actually the idea is older than that. In the 1930's the Army commissioned a convoy of trucks to cross the nation. It took weeks and was fraught with problems. The officer in charge of the convoy was named Eisenhower.
dehusman SD70Dude Ike got the idea from running those down the Autobahns. Actually the idea is older than that. In the 1930's the Army commissioned a convoy of trucks to cross the nation. It took weeks and was fraught with problems. The officer in charge of the convoy was named Eisenhower.
SD70Dude Ike got the idea from running those down the Autobahns.
Earlier than the 1930s. 1919 and 1920.
Hmm .. related stories ..?
https://medium.com/waymo/same-driver-different-vehicle-bringing-waymo-self-driving-technology-to-trucks-e55824b55b8f
Well don't count of them making to much progress on that front. A place trying them had an internet failure the truck they were testing stopped in the middle of the interstate in Florida and refused to move even with a driver installed in it until contact with the office had been restored.
Shadow the Cats ownerWell don't count of them making to much progress on that front. A place trying them had an internet failure the truck they were testing stopped in the middle of the interstate in Florida and refused to move even with a driver installed in it until contact with the office had been restored.
Don't try to move any of the late model 'computer' vehicles if the battery dies. There is a special procedure to get the transmission out of Park/gear. Transmission controls are governed by the computer - no volts to the computer - no normal mechanical linkage to the transmission.
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