Misplaced legislative priorities are destroying Georgia..

ATLANTA - Lawmakers from Georgia want the U.S. Department of Transportation to look into building two new interstate highways that would cross the state, one from Savannah to Knoxville, Tenn., and another from Augusta through Macon and Columbus.

Six members of the House delegation from Georgia introduced legislation authored by Rep. Max Burns, while companion legislation was introduced by Sens. Zell Miller and Saxby Chambliss.

The proposed Interstate 3 along the Savannah River could follow the largely completed Savannah River Parkway, while the proposed I-14 likely would follow the Fall Line Freeway, about three-fourths of which is complete or under construction across Georgia's midsection between Columbus and Augusta.

State officials say $264.3 million is needed to complete the freeway.

Burns, a first-term Republican up for re-election in the fall against Athens lawyer John Barrow, said the interstates could help spur economic growth in some of the state's poorest counties.

"We're looking at neglected areas of our state and our region," said Burns, whose district includes rural counties between Savannah, Augusta and Athens.

The interstates could take a decade to develop. Burns said cost estimates would be part of the DOT study.

Rep. Jim Marshall, D-Macon, a co-sponsor of the Burns bill, said his first priority is getting the Fall Line Freeway completed. "It would be a huge mistake to delay at all the Fall Line Freeway while we wait to see if this could wind up being an interstate," said Marshall, who faces Republican Calder Clay in the fall.

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/local/9237223.htm

The proposed Interstate 3 would be a disaster because it would be built through some of the most beautiful and vulnerable National Forests in the country. Secondly, people can already drive from Savannah to Knoxville using the interstate highway system. Who would drive a route that takes them far out of their way? Building this road would also increase the danger of creating endless sprawl along the Savannah river. Haven't our leaders learned from the past that more development doesn't necessarily equal economic strength?

Interstate 14 is the worst example of pork barrel spending possible. Again..I find it strange that people in Augusta and Macon are determined to go driving to Columbus. What is so important to see there, the School of the Americas? The fall line must be so fascinating that people will drive this interstate just to vacation in exciting communities like Thompson and Milledgeville! It is difficult to believe this road will somehow create a new wave of development in south Georgia, not to mention there are already good state roads on this route, like highways 22 and 16.

Surely the money to be used on these roads could be put to a more productive purpose. Paying down the deficit, buying more land to protect it from endless sprawl, or investing in mass transit to prepare the state for coming oil shortages. And I haven't even mentioned using it to protect Georgia's ports and nuclear power plants from possible terrorist attacks!

Using federal money for these roads isn't just wasteful, it's counterproductive to the state's security and economic interests. It's bad enough that Congress wishes to spend money which doesn't even exist, but now they wish to use it in the most destructive way possible. Soon even the terrorists will not have to strike, because our politicians are determined to complete this mission quickly and stealthily.

building. I prefer we build Modern railways. Long haul, short runs, commuters, all sorts. Maintain the highways we have but do not build anymore. Put people on mass transit instead. It's much more efficient and much more relaxing.

Europe does it, we can do it.

so I-14 would have that benefit.