The Weasel's Augusta Autobahn

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The Weasel

Posted by The_Weasel on December 10, 2006 - 4:31 PM

A recent story in The Augusta Chronicle explained how the government is about to spend millions of dollars to build a few bridges and improve roads in downtown Augusta. This, the traffic engineers say, will ease some roadway congestion.

What Augusta really needs is an Autobahn.

Years ago traffic engineers dreamed up River Watch Parkway as a way to bypass the congestion of Washington Road and whisk commuters to their homes in Columbia County. And for a few years it worked wonderfully. Then these same traffic engineers started building more roads and adding more traffic lights. Businesses started springing up along what was once a bypass. It should be re-named â€œWashington Road II.â€

The Weasel has a simple solution - drain the Augusta Canal and build a superhighway down the middle of it.

There would be no traffic lights, few exits and no speed limits.

Just imagine a commute from downtown Augusta to the Historic Canal Headgates of Columbia County in less than 5 minutes.

Augusta could combine the proposed drag strip project with the Weaselâ€™s Augusta Autobahn and save the taxpayers money!

Of course there would be some opposition to such a project.

Many people enjoy the natural beauty of the Augusta Canal. But even more people would enjoy the scenic beauty while cruising down the canal at over 100 mph!

Go to The Weasel

Submitted by cthrelkeld on December 12, 2006 - 11:29 AM.

Amen! I do believe one of America's greatest problems is the lack of a major high speed road network.

I'm familiar with parts of I-20 in Texas that have effectively been converted to the Autobahn system, mainly because it's just so long and empty that you couldn't kill anybody but yourself even if you tried. However, responsibility is encouraged in the sense that you know you are hours from competent emergency medical help. Nothing like that scenic drive through Loving Co., Texas (Bigger than several states and population 77) at 100 mph.

And then there's always North Dakota...

Submitted by bllamb on December 20, 2006 - 1:27 AM.

"I'm familiar with parts of I-20 in Texas that have effectively been converted to the Autobahn system, mainly because it's just so long and empty that you couldn't kill anybody but yourself even if you tried."

Bull hockey...There is NO Autoban in Texas.
Texas does has 80 mile per hour speed limits
for cars in daylight hours "only", 70 mile per hour speed limits for trucks, 65 miles per hour for everyone after dark,
and that is only in the rural area's, but is certainly isn't an autobahn system.

And yes people do get killed there. I was on that strech
of road just 2 weeks ago. A truck went through a
construction zone where a lowboy truck was unloading a piece of equiptment, Another truck driver couldn't stop, and killed the construction worker. About 60 miles up, another wreck. This time a construction truck ran up under the ICC bumper of
a fuel truck.

And You want an Autoban system for Augusta drivers? You
have to be joking. They haven't figured out how to even
use on ramps and off ramps yet!

Submitted by nbreese on December 12, 2006 - 11:39 PM.

You are joking? Drain the canal.. one of Augusta's historic and scenic attractions to build another ugly highway? For the most part, traffic moves pretty smoothly in Augusta. Try commuting in Atlanta or Washington, DC.. and you will see what real traffic is like. Traffic in Columbia County is getting worse, and an autobahn will not solve the problem. An autobahn is designed for cars travelling longer disances.. not within a metropolitan area. The problem lies in the pattern of growth: Mazelike subdivsions emptying all of their traffic on one arterial road, and Big box stores clustered around one intersection. The best remedy for chronic traffic congestion is to evenly distribute traffic on a gridlike street pattern. It works in the biggest cities of the world. Even if you build another expressway, it will end up becoming just like Riverwatch. The metro Augusta area needs to go back to the golden age of city planning to find the solutions to our present day traffic problems.

Submitted by weekapaug05 on December 13, 2006 - 3:05 PM.

Scenic attraction? Don't get me wrong, I love the canal, it's a good place to canoe, run, or ride on, and is scenic; but I've never heard anyone from out of town go "Hey I heard that canal is quite the attraction."

There are other ways to get out to Columbia Co. besides Washington Rd and River Watch, so be creative.

Submitted by nbreese on December 14, 2006 - 2:23 AM.

How long does it take to get from downtown to Evans? 15... 20 mins max?... Is this really a problem begging for a several hundred million dollar solution? I think not.

Submitted by lady_alessandra on December 13, 2006 - 8:43 AM.

Oh. I thought that Riverwatch was the Autobahn - at least from the way drivers fly by me as though I'm standing still going 55 mph. I've often thought they should change the name to Riverwatch Speedway instead of Parkway!

Submitted by getforreal on December 24, 2006 - 10:37 AM.

Please make sure you stay in the right lane at that speed!!!! I would hate to have to bump-n-run ya!!!!

Submitted by weekapaug05 on December 13, 2006 - 3:09 PM.

To have an autobahn in the true sense a few things need to be done.

1: People need to actually learn how to drive. (i.e. we need to make it tougher to obtain a driver's license)

2: People need to obey the laws of the road.

3: Police need to actually enforce the rules of the road.

4: Make the penalties for breaking road laws stricter.

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