Coastal Sense

This post was written by Drew Wade.

Well, it was inevitable. The campaign that would never end stretches on and politicians are eager to offer soundbite solutions. The topic du jour, of course, is the soaring price of oil and gas.

McCain and Clinton, of course, have it exactly wrong as also pointed out much more eloquently in this NY Times editorial. Our country is facing economically trying times, partly brought on by outrageous loan practices (followed by a corporate welfare style government bailout, likely with more to come) and partly by decades of woefully inept mismanagement of land use, transportation, and automobile production policies.

The solution should be long term — dropping the federal gas tax only increases the demand and puts money in Exxon’s pocket. Better funding for transit, improved MPG standards, and making roads safe for bicycles and pedestrians would make a real long term dent in the problem. Stopping the gas tax for the summer would increase the deficit, provide indirect corporate welfare, and give minimal if any real benefit to the consumer.

It’s all too telling of our current policies. When faced with adversity, we say, make it easier! Traffic got you down? Widen the road! Economy tanking? Lower interest rates! Getting fat? Loosen your belt! Trying to fix the economy and our current oil dependence in this way would be like handing out cocaine to fix the healthcare system.

UPDATE:  No credible economist thinks the gas tax holiday makes sense.  In fact,

Henry Aaron from Brookings, managed to very quickly whip up a list of 150 economists opposed to the gas tax holiday. And there are some pretty impressive folks on the list, from across the political spectrum.

This post was written by Drew Wade.

So, the penny transportation local option sales tax (TLOST) has passed the State Senate overwhelmingly, still moving through the House. What I like about it is the optional part.  It certainly does not presume the needs of a particular region, and funds generated there (disproportionately from tourists here in the coast) go to transportation projects we decide on.

I am pleased to see that the group which has been the primary impetus behind TLOST, Get Georgia Moving, has alternative modes (transit and the Beltline in Atlanta) as a part of its recommendations. Now we need to demand inclusion of a provision on Complete Streets.

Clint Murphy, a Savannah REALTOR and long time supporter of the Republican Party was recently elected as the Georgia Young Republican National Committeeman in a special election.

Murphy has been involved for a number of years in the Republican Party in Georgia, as well as in Washington, DC and in Iowa.  Murphy got his first taste of politics in 1990 as a young volunteer for Johnny Isakson in his campaign for Governor.  Murphy credits that as being the spark that started his interest in getting involved with Republican politics. 

Murphy’s first job out of college was on the staff of the late US Senator Paul D. Coverdell.  He went on to work as a fundraiser at the National Republican Congressional Committee, serve in the Bush Administration, run a Congressional Campaign, and work in Iowa during the 2002 elections. 

In 2003, Murphy returned to Savannah to begin his career in real estate.  When Johnny Isakson announced for the Senate seat, Murphy signed up to co-chair his campaign in Savannah.  Murphy was an early supporter of Casey Cagle in his campaign to become the first Republican elected to the office of Lt. Governor and helped lead the campaign on the coast. 

Presently, Clint Murphy is on the Georgia Advisory Committee for John McCain for President and serves as Vice Chairman of the Savannah Young Republicans.  Murphy serves as Chairman of the Chatham County Urban Transportation Citizens Advisory Committee and in 2007 ran unsuccessfully for the Savannah City Council. 

In his spare time, Clint likes to bike and is involved with the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life and the American Diabetes Association’s Kiss a Pig competition. 

and it seems to be more of the same from what we saw last session. The two chambers have already started their parliamentary smack downs against each other. For those of us who love this stuff it really is interesting watching these two chambers flex their constitutional muscles but for the people of Georgia it is sad. While some of Georgia’s leaders bicker, the people’s work is not being done. I think that issues such as our water plan, transportation, and the Glen tax will be heading to the floor for towards to end of the session. While Clint is the transportation guru, I will leave that to him (just give me a hi-speed train from SAV to ATL). The Glenn Tax, I am sure all have a chance to weigh in on this one. However, the water plan is special and I will be preparing a post about that later. Enjoy your day and thank a veteran ( BTW the Wild Hog Supper this year was fun).

Written by Clint Murphy

I’m hearing that the gun bill may come up as early as WEDNESDAY in the State Senate.  It is imperative that we email our State Senators and let them know how we feel about this issue. 

You can reach State Senator Eric Johnson at Eric.Johnson@senate.ga.gov
You can reach State Senator Regina Thomas at  regina.thomas@senate.ga.gov

Also, contact the Lt. Governor, Casey Cagle, and let him know how you feel about this issue. 

This post by Drew Wade

Horrible.

The only way to describe what happened yesterday to a cyclist. A hit and run driver running a stop sign hit a cyclist at Wayne and Lincoln. According to the Savannah Morning News, the cyclist is in serious condition at Memorial. As noted in Sustainable Savannah,

Police are asking for help finding the driver, a white female in her 20s, who sped away in a white passenger car after hitting the cyclist. Anyone for more information should call 652-6650 or call CrimeStoppers at 234-2020.

It was not mentioned in the article, but of course the cyclist was doing everything right: riding north (the direction of traffic — it’s one way) in the bike lane on Lincoln in the middle of the day. Of course, a cyclist has every right to be on the roadway even without a bike lane. Though we expect drivers would be looking for cyclists when there is a bike lane in place, a painted stripe is false reassurance for a cyclist.

What should we do, then?

1. Demand enforcement. Bring this person to justice. If you’re on your bike and an car runs you off the road, hold them accountable — get their tag, call the police, and demand action. Fortunately, it seems the police are responding appropriately to this incident.
2. Advocate for better facilities. The Lincoln bike lane is all we have in that part of town, and it is often littered with debris or parked cars. Other bike lanes like the one on Habersham start and stop. Signage is inconsistent. No change will be made unless we make noise about it repeatedly.
3. Keep riding. The more people are out on bikes, the safer they are. It is counterintuitive, I suppose, but we know this from German and Dutch data when compared to our own American experience as in this linked article. The German and Dutch cycling infrastructure is of course much more developed than ours, leading us back to #2.

The bottom line: we need justice. Not only justice for this crime, but just and equitable transportation and enforcement policies. Let’s start by getting one dangerous motorist off the road.

By Clint Murphy

It goes without saying that there has been much in the air about the DOT selection of Dr. Gena Abraham as the new DOT Commissioner.  As the Commissioner, Dr. Abraham runs the day to day business of the department.   

Dr. Abraham brings to this position a reputation of someone who is a problem solver.  This is very much needed in the very bureaucratic DOT.  Not to penalize or speak ill of those who work there, but DOT was way past needing an overhaul and Dr. Abraham brings the right level of experience, determination, and know how to make the necessary changes.

DOT must move beyond the Department of Roads and Bridges and realize that in this modern age, transportation means moving people, not just automobiles.  As oil prices soar, and oil is an ingredient in asphalt, the costs of these much hyped roads will increase to an unsustainable cost.  Ideas such as “Complete Streets”(a policy adopted by both Florida and South Carolina), Context Sensitive Design, and public transit must be part of the new dialogue at DOT.  

Those DOT Board Members who voted for Abraham should be commended for making a change for progress, innovation, and ensuring that DOT is a more results oriented government agency.  For some legislators to threaten retribution for votes for Abraham suggests a short sightedness that is very troubling to me and others who follow happenings such as this.    

Legislators would be wise to abandon these ginned up threats of retaliation against the Board Members who voted for Abraham.  The vote for her embodies the real creed of reform that is the true essence of the Republican Party.  To oppose such an effort would surely open some to accusations of hypocrisy. 

As someone familiar with transportation issues on a local level as a member of a Metropolitan Planning Organization and very well versed in some of the positives and negatives of dealing with our DOT, it goes without saying that the agency is in need of an overhaul and not more of the same. 

On some levels, DOT is the last bastion of the old way of doing business in Georgia, both in terms of the projects and process.  Georgians turned the state over to the GOP to ensure reform and we all know that reform is not easy.  Changing bureaucracies is a fight that takes time and a sustained effort.    

If some of those opposed to Abraham would stop and analyze this further than their own somewhat parochial interests, they would realize that Abraham’s election is consistent with their own beliefs for accountability, efficiency, and reform. 

Efforts to undermine the progress made by the selection of Dr. Abraham will, in my humble opinion, make a mockery of what some of in the Republican Party have labored so long to build. 

Finally, thank you to Governor Perdue and Lt. Governor Cagle for putting forth and supporting Dr. Abraham.   

The NRA has descended for a second assault on our capitol to force a bill requiring private property owners to allow guns in cars parked on their property.

Have they forgotten the horrible scene of 1999 that made international news? The gun activists will of course say: Well, that’s an isolated incident, obviously a very sick individual. Not so, however if you read the interviews of Mark Barton’s family and friends. Why would we invite guns into our workplaces? Easy access makes what could be a diffusible problem into something extremely volatile and potentially disastrous.

Sensibly, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce is against the measure which flies in the face of private property rights. Surely we don’t think the 2nd amendment trumps all the others.

With news today that the proposed route for Interstate 3 is being discussed, it made me think back to the highway when it was originally proposed by Congressman Max Burns in 2002. 

I believe that there can be a case made for a Savannah River Parkway connecting Savannah and Augusta, and perhaps a connector to Athens and perhaps a tie in to I-85 too, but much past there and it would appear to be a diminishing return on investment.

With oil prices as high as they are and transportation funds scarce as they appear to be, there is going to have to be a needs based formula in determining what gets funded and what does not. 

Now the single biggest threat to our economic livelihood is transportation, and we’ve got 20 years of catching up to do.

So said Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce President Sam Williams in this recent Georgia Trend article. The tremendous economic growth of Atlanta in the last 20 years has left it, in the absence of sound regional planning, with one of the worst records for traffic in America today (ranks fourth in annual traffic delays per commuter, averaging 60 hours of time and 44 gallons of fuel wasted).

Many of us here in the coast, including me, are here to avoid the headaches of that way of living. But with growth here in the coast, how can we prevent our own gridlock?

1. Do not follow their (i.e. Atlanta’s) lead. Building more lanes for growth invites congestion. Increasing capacity for more and more motorized vehicles is really operating in the absence of a plan.
2. Promote transit. Fund it well and patrol the system, make it efficient with express buses and ferries. Provided that they feel safe, people will use it because it saves them time, expense and effort.
3. Complete the streets. This strategy, codified in state law in Florida and South Carolina, requires pedestrian and bicycle facilities for all new road projects. The reason so few people use their own power on short trips in many cases is that they don’t feel safe doing it on our cars-only road designs.