Georgia 400 Toll Road Time to Weigh In | News

ATLANTA -- Last year 11Alive's Center for Investigative Action uncovered that Georgia 400 could have been paid off for years.  But instead, the toll will go on for another decade and the authority that manages the road is moving full force ahead with expansion plans.

Georgia's Governor Elect Nathan Deal has already weighed in, stating that the tolls booths should go away. But instead of addressing that issue, the authority that manages the road is moving full force ahead with expansion plans.

The State Road and Tollway Authority is holding public forums to hear what you think about plans to spend another $67 million on 12 new projects to improve Georgia 400. What's not on the agenda? Getting rid of the tolls. So we dug into the issue a little deeper to see what that means to you.

"I probably spend $3 or $4 every day on this stupid toll,"a regular GA 400 driver said Tuesday, while waiting to drop 50 cents into the toll basket. She wants the tolls to go.

That appears to be the sentiment from many people we talked to, including Governor-elect Nathan Deal.

"The decision was made to proceed with issuing bonds and continuing the tolls," said Gena Evans, Executive Director of The head of the State Roadway and Tollway Authority.

It costs about $14 million in adminstration costs to employee 52 Authority workers to run a 6.2 mile stretch of toll road.  The authority says it also has the responsibility of issuing bonds to fund other Georgia transportation projects, so even if the toll booths went away, the agency would remain.

However, Davis said, without the toll money, "These projects don't get accomplished until probably 2020." 

The authority wants to hear what you think about the expansion and upgrade to Georgia 400.

 To find out where the next meetings will be located, click here.