Vance Smith, we hardly knew ya
October 19, 2007 at 9:54 am by Thomas Wheatley in NewsMany people’s eyes rolled when state Rep. Vance Smith was announced as the chief competition to Gena Abraham in the GDOT commissioner race — after all, he owns a construction and grading company, and that meant he would bulldoze and build mercilessly, right? But he very well could have been a saving grace for a region lacking in transit options and awash in pavement. Abraham, who was approved on Wednesday as commissioner-elect, also comes from a construction background but has experience in engineering and academia, and as of late, has been touting public-private initiatives — calling them “definitely something we have to do” at a press Q&A yesterday. PPIs the DOT is currently pursuing or considering involve roads and lanes rather than rails and trains.
Which made this little snippet from Dick Pettys’ InsiderAdvantage Georgia piece from yesterday interesting …
For sure, Democrats are just as mad. They had thrown in with the Republican leadership in an effort to sway the election to [state Rep. Vance] Smith, who had promised to give due consideration to some of their key transportation goals – mass transit and multi-modal operations for Atlanta.
October 19th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Yo Thomas, when i clicked on your “PPIs the DOT” link, i had a flashback, sorry,they are beyond my control. Can we have a short story writin contest, if it includes AROC- applicable road overkill content? Tonight’s the FA-fifth anniversary of my PD-previous death and i live in a haunted house, remind me to tell ya the story, so humor me a little will ya? This is how i was shepherded on my current pathway to broad and deep undersatndin of roadway acronyms. Thanks for the fame, fortune & bandwidth bro, hot asphalt and droughts have never been so fun as they are on Creative Loafing, this tap water is for you & GSHH-Glass Slipper HelenHerbst, thanks for letting me use the facilities:
“Down and Dirty on the MATS at the CAC”
by Victor Jones Tuesday 1/17/06
educated in a small town
taught the fear of Jesus in a small town
used to daydream in that small town
another boring romantic that’s me -John Mellencamp, “small town”
MATS-Macon Area Transportation Study, CAC-Citizen’s Advisory Committee 10th floor, Annex 6.-7p.m.
The wind was howling through a leaky 10th floor windows from beginning to end. After the meeting, I reached for committee member Bob Cleveland’s hand as he introduced himself as a “Clear Cutting, Peeing-in-the-wide-open contractor.” I inquired if he was responsible for maintenance on the Annex windows. Next I asked if he wished a tree reached the tenth floor, so it would break his fall when I helped him out the window. A sense of humor may carry you a long way but it ain’t no competition for gravity, clean water, ozone free air, safe-smooth flowing traffic and a few good cousins.
MBZ “Macon Bibb and Zoning” CAC Committee Coordinator Greg Brown did a gentleman’s job informing and recording the educated input from this noble and selfless group of volunteer citizens tonight. (((Thursday Feb 2nd, AZ “and Zoning” is sponsoring an open house, all day long-update, only one Macon-Bibb politician showed up.))) Don Tussing offered that the Comprehensive Plan for Macon and Bibb County had to be updated every 5 years and the open house would give citizens a chance for input.
Mrs. Susan Hanberry-Martin met herself on the outgoing and incoming MATS-CAC Chairperson’s seat, as she batted her baby blues and demurely abstained from voting for herself. Her balanced alto moderation of the meeting complimented the windy howls behind my right ear. Mr. Brown said the Comprehensive Plan would focus on 1) Population and Economic trends, 2) Land use, 3) Community Facilities and 4) Natural and Historic Resources.
The CAC-Citizen’s Advisory Committee needs VRs-volunteers reps, who are concerned about the following issues to represent the following factions: The BOE, City Ward 2, 3, 4 and County District 1 and 4 need reps. The OAC, MHA, TR-Transit Ridership and DTU-Disabled Transit User all need citizens to step forward and represent their causes. If a member misses 3 meetings they get pushed out of the 10th story window.
You’ve got to learn acronyms if you participate in this group. CHM “Chairman Hanberry-Martin” said she attended a HSQB “high school quiz bowl” and none of the kids knew what D.O.T. stood for. I enthusiastically raised my hand and she kindly called on me. “I know, I know, Dead on Television!”… “Wrong Gonzo, keep your thumb in that crack in the window and shut up, will ya”, she CACled back.
Someone asked if the CAC should send the CDR “Conformity Determination Report” to the PC “Policy Committee” and TCC “Technical Coordinating Committee” WR-without recommendations.
Dr. Lindsay Holliday, who represents the LOWV “League of Women’s Voters” on the MATS CAC offered a motion. The CDR “Conformity Determination Report” should be sent to our FIRCACL “Fearless, Incessantly Reading City and County Leaders” on the SSPC “Shifting Sand Policy Committees” with the recommendation for them to NOT SIGN IT IF THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND IT…” WHAT A COMMON SENSE IDEA, I yelled.
For a moment I didn’t care if my thumb was holding the window together or not. Suddenly I had to P.E.E “Put Extreme Emotion” into the meeting energy and yelled, EDTB “Eureka, Doc, that’s brilliant.”
Dr. Holliday’s motion passed the quorum: The MATS CAC included the recommendation that “If the EOCPC “Elected Official Comprised Policy Committee” doesn’t understand the CDR, they shouldn’t sign it.” Laughter and nervousness alternated around the table. A couple of folks abstained. I made a motion to give Cousins Mayor Jack, Chairman Charlie and Council Pres Anita a PQ-pop quiz but was quickly reminded I was NAM-not a member and was there only for my CC-cosmetic contribution and WTDHA “wind tunnel dike holding ability.”
CHM “Chair Hanberry-Martin” expressed concerns that the CDR was done OOM-off of modeling and projected NIID no increase in density, she closed rhetorically with, “How much can we trust models?” (Not much cousin Susan, but if you can ask one to stop applying lead based lipstick long enough to replace my thumb in the 10th floor window hole, I’d appreciate it.)
Ozone and another items of concern in the CDR got upstaged by my BT-blue thumb and the WTIME- wind tunnel in my ears.
Committee members present: CHM, Chris Wells, Bob Cleveland, Don Tussing Amanda Upshaw, Mary Ann Richardson, Lindsay Holliday, Tim Thornton.
Mr. Peter Givens, President of the Pleasant Hill Neighborhood Improvement Association was present for his first meeting. (((The PHNIA has a meeting at the BTW-Booker T. Washington Center tomorrow evening, Wednesday 1/18/06 at 5:30p.m. The PHNIA Pleasant Hill Neighborhood Improvement Association will also meet with the GDOT Georgia Department of Transportation at the BTW center on 1/25 )))
Dr. Holliday circulated a handout sponsored by the IIFHS, “Insurance Institute for Highway Safety” report strongly urging that PCs-progressive cities implement the use of ROUNDABOUTS. Eighty major insurance companies did Roundabout studies and discovered that”
1) Roundabouts have 90% less fatalities than traditional intersections.
2) Roundabouts have 70% less injuries than traditional intersections.
Chris Wells said roundabouts save time and gasoline. Amanda Upshaw said roundabouts move a lot more cars than a TTLI- traditional traffic-lighted intersection. Doc Holliday compared the M,CR -modern, codified Roundabout to the wheel. “A wheel is so simple but took so long to invent and implement.”
I gave a TU-thumb up and yelled, “ONE MORE ACRONYM AND I’M OUTTA HERE, I’M GOING TO USE A PULLEY WHEEL TO LIFT MYSELF OUT THE WINDOW.” CHM gave me the EE- evil eye. I stuck my FT-free thumb BIMM -back in my mouth.
CM-CAUTION Macon is sponsoring a REF-Roundabout Education Forum at CH-City Hall on January 31st. They’ve contracted with AMRW- Australian Michael Roundabout Walwork to fly in for the CEF-community education forum. Btobs “BE THERE OR BE SQUARE. ” Mr. Waldrop helped write the Federal Highway bill that provided for communities to get $1,000,000.00 federal grants to implement Roundabouts at intersections that had a high incidence of TBA-
T-Bone accidents.
Mr. Peter Givens of the PHNIA offered that we could get additional information by studying the Brooklyn N.Y. Roundabout at Armory Plaza. His brother is an engineer up there and would be glad to assist.
CCPITWOC- Clear Cutting, Peeing-in-the-wide-open contractor Bob Cleveland’s cell phone twice played a loud rendition of “Muddy Waters” as he ran into another room. (Hold down the star button to put it on vibrate mode, cousin Bob)
Someone speculated that the reason we haven’t already used Roundabouts is that County Engineer Ken Sheets’ educational experience doesn’t include the knowledge skills to construct one.
Another offered that CCCCB-Commission Chair Crusher Charles Bishop didn’t seem to be EOH- enthusiastic or hip on the idea which would decrease IFs- intersection fatalities by 90% and injuries by 70%. (I wonder what Ken and CCCCB-Crusher Bishop know that the IIFHS Insurance Institute for Highway Safety doesn’t?)
CHM shared that Dorothy & Toto’s home State of Kansas considers the use of Roundabouts before any other consideration, OESOTIS-on either side of their interstate system.
When CH-M mentioned D&T, I took my cue, pulled my BT-blue thumb out of the HW-howling window and let the ET-ensuing tornado SMITV-suck me into the vaccum and CMH-carry me home so that I could RTW-reinvent the wheel. MA-Mission Accomplished… We’re all cousins down hea, in a Roundabout way. See ya on the 31st. BTOBS..
Nite ya’ll,
Sincerely, cousin VIC- Very Interesting Community
Attached: pics for the DOT crowd that DARW&R – don’t appreciate reading, writin & rithmetic.
October 19th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
Holy hellfire, Victor.
October 20th, 2007 at 9:41 am
dang bro, what’d i do this time? is mgmt pissed?