Readers offer their ideas on how to cut traffic congestion in metro Atlanta in lieu of the one percent special regional tax for economic development, transportation and other things.

Piney Woods Pete II: The quickest, least expensive way to cut traffic congestion in the metro area would be to build a very limited access, trucks only, two lane, bypass highway around the metro area. Let’s get some of the freight not destined for the metro area off our roads.

Pat H: Synchronize the traffic lights. This is an easy step that Cobb County does not have staff with the proper know how to accomplish. Note to Hankerson: Hire someone with proper credentials that can solve the jams caused by ill-timed traffic lights. You have a 5 million dollar traffic center to look at them, now do something about it.

KellyWoods: Efforts such as telecommuting only relieve some of the issues associated with our traffic problems. Telecommuting is a great alternative but all employers are not open to this idea. The Regional Transportation Referendum is a comprehensive plan that will address the current transportation needs of the city that will include road improvements and light rail transit.

@Kelly: Gotcha....since all employers are not ready to enter the 21st century, we should spend billions to meet short terms requirements. What if the government, local and or (state) and federal offered tax break incentives to telecommunications employers? After all, they are reducing traffic and thus road usage and repair. How would you feel about a tax rebate or reduction based on the number of employees working from home. However, you are right. The deep pocket developers who want to build more and bring more traffic in to fill their vacancies and build more will spend millions to do so. So, we will have to add more transportation facilities.

Save Time: I agree with you completely about telecommuting. My son and daughter could telecommute every day of the week. They are employed with international corporations and talk with their counterparts overseas weekly. The decision to telecommute is left up to the company’s department directors. Their directors do not believe in telecommuting. The only explanation is they want their employees under their thumb. How do you overcome that obstacle Mr. McKee?

TIC: As the current crop traditional managers retire and a new wave of younger tech savvy managers starts taking control you will see the transition to teleworking increase. Although some businesses require personal interaction most can maintain or even increase productivity by using the technology that is available to us. Just remember the TSPLOST is NOT about reducing traffic congestion. It is about creating a “happy sack” of taxpayer funding for the special interest groups so they can fatten their wallets.

COMMON SENSE: There are many ways to cut traffic congestion in Atlanta area other than increasing the rate of our corrupted Georgia sales tax system. We have only to look over the shoulders of other large cities around the world.

dmckee9613@aol.com