Thursday, June 29, 2006

Cathy Cox suggests "regional approach" to transportation

Cox has released another plan setting out her vision for Georgia, this time in the area of transportation. She unveiled talked about this new plan last night at the "Brain Train" forum held in Lawrenceville. The forum was well attended by candidates who support a rail system that would connect several of Georgia's top universities from Atlanta to Athens as well as other rail projects.

I find the "Brain Train" of particular importance. There is a significant portion of Georgia's overall population that lives just outside of the metro Atlanta area. Yet because of work schedules, time constraints, traffic considerations, and costs, many of these people find it a hardship to commute from places like Gwinnett Co. to the University of Georgia in Athens or Georgia State University in Atlanta to work towards post graduate degrees. Fortunately, many local universities now have satellite campuses and some offer online degrees. But these mostly cater to people who are seeking degrees in business programs. The "Brain Train" would make it feasible and economical for people throughout the metro area and just beyond to further their education at one of several of the state's top universities.

Cox also announced her support for the Atlanta to Lovejoy rail line that would eventually extend to Macon in central Georgia, as well as the Atlanta Street Car Project. All of these plans are designed to reduce the amount of car traffic on the streets of Atlanta and highways surrounding it. Not only does this have a potential impact for education and the economy, it also can have lasting positive effects on our environment.

Cox also wants to fast track the state's plans to finish 4-laning Hwy's 27 and 441 that run north to south. Projections say that this could have a great impact on reducing traffic through downtown Atlanta as well as creating economic opportunities for other parts of Georgia as people make their way through our state.

To read Cox's entire transportation plan, this is the Cox article with a link to the plan itself. And the lower link is to the AJC article covering the "Brain Train" forum last night.

http://www.cathycox.com/blog/219/cox-releases-transportation-agenda-for-a-21st-century-georgia#comment

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/auto/epaper/editions/thursday/metro_443ac60e43ea900000c1.html

1 comment:

Tina said...

Moments ago I was looking at a picture of one of Japan's super fast trains and thinking..."Why can't we do that?"