GDOT Drama

Many in this area may not think the ongoing drama at the Georgia Department of Transportation impacts us.

But it does.

The longer GDOT remains incompetent and inefficient, the longer it will take to fix transportation problems in Northeast Georgia, Atlanta, and the rest of the state. And fixing transportation with a variety of solutions -- including rail -- is critical for the long term health of this region.

As for the specific situation in Atlanta right now -- the GDOT Board Chair falling for GDOT commissioner Gena Abraham -- I don't have a problem with it. Both are unmarried. They reported the relationship and nothing improper occurred. That said, I can understand how state representatives who were punished by Speaker Glenn Richardson for voting for Evans will be unhappy that all that was for naught.

All that said, I have met Commissioner Abraham several times and have been quite impressed -- I think she is indeed the best hope to bring GDOT into the 21st century and rebuild confidence in it among elected officials and the Georgia public.

4/24 UPDATE: Interesting story from yesterday's New York Times.