The Georgia Contractor June | July 2016 by Luke Clark

Volume 12, Issue 3 June | July 2016

March | April 2016

Georgia Contractor

June | July 2016

Georgia Contractor

GeorGIA

CONTRACTOR

w w w. t h e g e o r g i a c o n t r a c t o r . c o m Editor-in-Chief: Roland Petersen-Frey Managing Editor: Daniel Simmons | (770) 521-8877 Art Director: Pamela Petersen-Frey | (770) 521-8877

The Georgia Contractor is published bi-monthly on a calendar year basis. It is a magazine designed around the construction industry associations and their members. It is supported by associations and their members. Executive, editorial, circulation, and advertising oﬃces: 1154 Lower Birmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115 • Phone: (770) 521-8877 • Fax: (770) 521-0406 E-mail: rfrey@a4inc.com. Send address changes to your association and/or to A4 Inc. Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of any of the associations or publisher nor do they accept responsibility for errors of content or omissions and, as a matter of policy, neither do they endorse products or advertisements appearing herein. Parts of this magazine may be reproduced with the written consent of the publisher.

June | July 2016

This special edition of the Georgia Contractor magazine is dedicated to the celebration of the 100 Year Anniversary of the Georgia Department of Transportation. It is with pride and pleasure that we bring you this walk through the history of our state’s impressive development. Georgians are extremely proud of their state—and rightly so! Thank you, GDOT, for helping to make Georgia one of the nation’s greatest places to live. We would especially like to thank Aerial Innovations for providing the cover image for this special issue. One the Cover: Atlanta Downtown Connector, 2013 aerial by Aerial Innovations of Georgia Inc.

CONTENTS 9

Congratulations to GDOT from Governor Nathan Deal

10 Working Together Toward a Common Goal

11 If the Big Chicken Could Talk

12 Congratulations to GDOT from Commissioner Chris Carr

13 Georgia Transportation Trailblazers

15 Congratulations to GDOT from Michael Williams

16 Congratulations to GDOT from E. R. Snell

17 Congratulations to GDOT from Steve Shepherd

18 Celebrating a Century of Simply the Best in Service, Safety & Innovation

46 Faster Alternatives for Erosion Control

50 An Interview with MARTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s General Manager Keith Parker Georgia Contractor

55 Aﬀordable Care Act Traps for the Unwary (and not) Employer: Tips to Comply and What to Avoid

57 New Grant and Scholarship 58 An Eﬃcient Future for Program to Bolster Skilled Trade Workforce

Buildings of the Past Proposed Under ASHRAE Guidelines

ADVERTISEMENTS Aggregates USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Atlanta Technical College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 C.W. Matthews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover Chattahoochee Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Georgia811 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover Georgia Construction Aggregate Association . . . . . .3 Georgia Highway Contractors’ Association . . . . . . . .15 Georgia Power Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Georgia Trade School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Hanson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 IEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 June | July 2016

Martin Marietta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Metro Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Middle Georgia Signs – Designflex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 New South Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Oxford Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Pittman Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Plant Improvement Co | Seaboard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 RHD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Vulcan Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Yancey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Georgia Contractor

Georgia Department of Transportation Attention: Russell McMurry Commissioner GDOT Team Members, It is with great pleasure that I congratulate the Georgia Department of Transportation for 100 years of service to our state. Georgia’s roads are regarded as some of the best in the nation and the Transportation Funding Act of 2015 provides the means to keep our roads in superior condition for years to come. Georgia’s economy depends on GDOT every day to improve and maintain our transportation infrastructure. Businesses depend on the easy transfer of goods and services, and our workforce depends on safe travel throughout the state to some of the largest hubs of commerce in the country. The construction, maintenance, and operations of Georgia’s transportation systems have increased mobility, enhanced the quality of life, and provided the foundation for economic growth that makes Georgia the No. 1 state in which to do business. This centennial milestone presents an opportunity to commit to further strengthening the state’s infrastructure to benefit Georgia citizens and those visiting the state. Congratulations on this momentous occasion, and I wish you all the best as you continue your exemplary service for our state. Sincerely,

Nathan Deal Governor

June | July 2016

Working Together

TOWARD A COMMON GOAL How public-private cooperation worked through a crisis to keep two major arteries moving

ver my 43 year career with C. W. Matthews Contracting Company (CWM), there are many success stories I could share that involve working with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). One of the most unusual events occurred starting on June 9th, 2001. It was 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning when I was awakened by my cell phone which I kept on the night stand by the bed. An excited voice which I recognized as David Graham, Director of Construction for GDOT, said that a gasoline tanker truck had exploded and, as a result, I-285 and GA 400 were both shut down and he needed CWM’S help immediately. For an instant, I thought this had to be a bad dream. I arrived at the accident scene around 5 a.m. to see what was remaining of the Glenridge Bridge over GA 400. David was on site along with a number of GDOT personnel including Paul Liles from the GDOT Bridge Division and Harold Linnenkohl, GDOT Deputy Commissioner. By 7 a.m., we had a plan of action that would open an additional lane by milling and paving the shoulder approaches to the bridge and allowing eastbound traffic three lanes over the undamaged portion of the bridge. This work was completed by 2 p.m. the same day.

I assigned CWM’S Vice President Peter Feininger the task of working with GDOT to complete this emergency project. Under normal construction criteria, this would have been a one year project. However; working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the GDOT—CWM team was able to overcome all obstacles and complete the work necessary to place traffic back into final alignment in only four weeks. This was a great example of what the Department and the construction industry can accomplish when they work together toward a common goal. During my career, I was fortunate to have known and worked with many different levels of management at GDOT through my position at CWM and also my service with the Georgia Highway Contractors Association (GHCA). I have always admired the professionalism and integrity that exists within GDOT. Georgia can be truly proud to have such a fine highway department serving the citizens of our state. Congratulations on your 100th Anniversary! Q. William Hammack, Jr. President, CWM Retired Past President, GHCA v

Georgia Contractor

If the Big Chicken COULD TALK

Mr. Johnson and the Traffic Jam

returned from Viet Nam in 1969 and was named President of C.W. Matthews Contracting Company. Mr. Jim Gillis was the DOT Chairman and had been for almost twenty years. I had never worked under anyone else but Mr. Gillis or ‘Mr. Jim’ as he was called. With the election of Jimmy Carter, the DOT got a new director in 1971—Mr. Bert Lance, a banker from Calhoun, Georgia that no one in the industry knew. To me, Mr. Lance represented a new era for the DOT. He totally realized that the DOT and the industry must not only build good roads but also be aware of their responsibility to minimize inconvenience to the traveling public. We did our first night work under Mr. Lance. However, this story does not involve a night job but daytime resurfacing of US 41 north of Kennesaw on a Saturday morning. This was at a time when two-way radios were rare and cell phones unheard of. This section of I-75 had not been completed so US 41 was the primary North-South artery. We knew we had traffic backed up in the northbound lane, but did not realize how bad it was. It was past the Big Chicken. Mr. Lance was in his DOT office that Saturday morning, as was his practice, and his phones started jumping off his desk with complaints about our backup. Mr. Lance called Mr. Mark Johnson, the 7th district engineer, with instruction to “Get up there and get those crazy nuts out of the road.” Mr. Johnson headed north only to get caught in the traffic jam. After over an hour in traffic, he finally saw the crew at the top of a very long hill. Traffic was stopped so Mr. Johnson decided to park on the shoulder and walk up the hill to the crew. This presented two problems. First, it was July and about 98°F, and secondly, he had a very large girth and weighed over 300 pounds. Within minutes he was huffing and puffing, red in the face, and the white shirt and tie that he always wore were soaking wet. A driver offered Mr. Johnson a ride which he accepted but made no mention of who he was or his mission. Reaching the top, Mr. Johnson thanked the driver who replied “You’re welcome, I just wish I could get my hands on the DOT guy responsible for this. I would like to choke him to death.” “So would I,” replied Mr. Johnson, “so would I.” When Mr. Johnson told the foreman the problem, operations ceased immediately and soon traffic was flowing nor-

June | July 2016

mally. We got Mr. Johnson to sit down, cool off, drink plenty of water and then gave him a ride back to his car. There had been no finger pointing, no ill feelings, or fussing, no cross words, just problem recognized—problem solved. I expected a call from the commissioner’s office to get chewed out—but it never came. Instead, Mr. Lance and Mr. Johnson would, to my embarrassment, tell this story for years about how much chaos we had caused. Mr. Johnson would always add “and if I had told that driver I was the DOT guy I would probably be dead.” I relate this story for two reasons: 1) I fondly mention Mr. Gillis, Mr. Lance, and Mr. Johnson as just three examples of the dozens and dozens of professional hard working DOT personnel I have had the honor to be associated with over my career and 2) having now worked under twelve different DOT Commissioners, I am both pleased and amazed at how much the DOT and the construction industry have accomplished by working in partnership for the benefit of the traveling public. It is my sincere hope that this great relationship will continue to produce positive results as we move forward into the future. Robert E. Matthews, Chairman C.W. Matthews Contracting Co. Inc. Past President GHCA 1978 - 1980 v

Congratulations, GDOT CHRIS CARR | COMMISSIONER | GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ll of our economic development successes are based on strong, established partnerships, and the Georgia Department of Transportation is no exception. The role that Georgia’s logistics network plays in both recruiting new business and helping existing Georgia companies grow is immeasurable. For the third consecutive year—Site Selection magazine ranked Georgia’s business climate No. 1. This designation is further testament of Governor Deal’s dedication to improving the state’s business climate, and it also speaks to the commitment and support from our industry partners like the Georgia Department of Transportation. A fantastic ally in economic development—we’d like to congratulate our friends at GDOT on their 100th anniversary! v

Georgia Contractor

GeorGIA TrANSPorTATIoN TrAILBLAZerS THroUGH THe YeArS State Highway Board Chairmen, State Highway Directors and Commissioners Dr. Charles M. Strahan Chairman 1919 to 1921

Warren r. Neel Director January to March 1947 and June to September 1948

Hal rives Commissioner 1987 to 1991

John N. Holder Chairman 1922 to 1929

John C. Beasley Director March 1947 to June 1948 and September to November 1948

Wayne Shackleford Commissioner 1991 to 2000

Sam Tate Chairman June 1929 to April 1930

James ‘Jim‘ Gillis, Sr. Chief Executive Oﬃcer for 20 years Exact dates unknown

J. Tom Coleman, Jr. Commissioner 2000 to 2003

John W. Barnett Chairman 1930 to 1933

W.A. Blasingame Chairman January 1955 to July 1956

Harold e. Linnenkohl Commissioner 2003 to 2007

John Jackson Mangham Chairman July to November 1933

roger H. Lawson Chairman July 1956 to June 1957

Gena evans Commissioner 2007 to 2009

W. eugene Wilburn Chairman 1933 to 1937, 1941 to 1943

roy F. Chalker Chairman 1957 to 1958

Vance C. Smith, Jr. Commissioner 2009 to 2011

Willis Linton Miller Chairman 1937 to 1941

Thomas B. (Bert) Lance Director 1971 to 1973

Keith Golden Commissioner 2011 to 2015

ryburn G. Clay Director 1943 to 1945

Downing Musgrove Commissioner 1973 to 1975

russell r. McMurry Commissioner 2015 to present

George T. McDonald Director 1945 to 1947

Thomas D. Moreland Commissioner 1975 to 1987

June | July 2016

Congratulations, GDOT FROM MICHAEL G. WILLIAMS

ongratulations to the Georgia Department of Transportation on your 100th Anniversary! As a past President of the Georgia Highway Contractors Association, I have the privilege to reflect upon my history with the department. I am honored to share my reflections with the valued reader. I was ‘born’ into a family business which derived its primary income from the Georgia Department of Transportation, Gentry & Thompson Inc., where my late father, Raiford G. Williams was employed and became a principal. This company was sold to C.W. Matthews Contracting Company Inc. in 1971. My father founded Williams Bridge Co. Inc. in 1976, and I founded Sunbelt Structures Inc. in 1985. I have worked continuously within these companies part-time (high school and college) and then full-time since I was 15 years old, or a period spanning 46 years. All of the aforementioned corporate entities have depended upon the Georgia Department of Transportation year in and year out for dependable work opportunities.

June | July 2016

Within any period of time historically this long, some periods were great financially and some periods were quite challenging. I personally will always remember fondly my relationships with personalities within the department, including but not limited to, Mr. Tom Moreland, Mr. Alva Byrom, Mr. Tom Turner, Mr. Bobby Moore, Mr. Paul Liles, Mr. Jeff Baker, Mr. Marc Mastronardi, Mr. Larry Caudell, Mr. Hugh Tyner, Mr. Steve Parks, Mr. Keith Goldman, and Mr. Russell McMurry. All of these leaders within the department at appropriate times either disciplined me or rewarded me for various situations we jointly encountered. Every situation I recall was ultimately a ‘learning experience’ and I value those lessons shared. Within the total context of any long lasting relationship, transparency and truthfulness is required. In retrospect, I believe the department and its respected leaders have tried to conduct themselves at all times within the positive guard rails of these important values. Obviously, thru the years one

party or the other might have believed ‘they lost’ or ‘they won,’ but ultimately I’m certain the relationships were fairly balanced. I personally always found that when either representing our private corporate interest or when representing the collective interest of contractors state-wide within the Georgia Highway Contractors Association that truthfulness was appreciated and allowed meaningful dialogue to occur, especially when trying to diffuse conflicting issues. I applaud the department for the times when they voluntarily agreed their position might be wrong, and proactive action was taken to

remedy a conflict. This displays true leadership and value to the ultimate customer, the traveling public of Georgia! Thank you Georgia Department of Transportation and congratulations! Michael G. Williams President Sunbelt Structures Inc. v

Congratulations, GDOT FROM E. R. SNELL CONTRACTOR

E. R. Snell Contractor is a multigenerational family business that has been building roads and bridges for the Georgia Department of Transportation during most of the 100 years they are celebrating being in existence. In the early years when my grandfather and his brothers were getting started, and later when my dad along with his brothers and cousins were busy helping build the interstate highways in our state, the Georgia Department of Transportation was referred to as the State Highway Department. During those years thru today GDOT has been our number one customer. Over their long history, the department has had many

capable and professional individuals at all levels. I strongly believe it has been the best run government organization in our state. With any owner there will always be occasions when disputes arise in regards to interpretation of contracts, plans, or specifications. In our many years we have been able to resolve our differences without formal litigation. Sometimes we have not agreed with their decisions but have felt in most instances we have been treated professionally and fairly. GDOT, due to the recent funding increases, has been tasked with managing a significantly increased capital improvement program that should bring much needed improvements to Georgia’s transportation system. I am confident that under the direction of Commissioner McMurray and his staff they will follow in the path of their predecessors in continuing to make Georgia proud of their roads and bridges. Robin Snell v

Georgia Contractor

Congratulations, GDOT FROM STEVE SHEPHERD

Two notable former GDOT employees come to mind: Gene Ayers, District 1 Project Engineer, also known as ‘radio,’ for his talkative persona, always stressed what he termed as ‘The Three Ps’ when it came to how the contractor should perform his contract with GDOT: 1. Plan 2. Prepare 3. Pursue He knew that without a detailed plan (today known as the critical path), without proper resources (preparation), and without commitment (pursuit), poor performance will ensue. Cecil Pearce, Former GDOT District 7 Engineer:

PSI of the dump truck tires when the dump truck was fully loaded, that he would allow me to haul with the scraper pans if I put steel plates across SR 120 at the location of the crossing. I called Yancey Brothers to get the data (they are always ready to help), and the PSI was less. Delays to the traveling public and the project were thereby substantially reduced, thanks to Cecil’s cooperative spirit. An observation on some former GDOT employees and their abilities: When Cecil retired from GDOT, he was later hired as a Vice President of Rogers Bridge Company, under then Rogers Bridge President Charles Haney, also a former GDOT employee. Cecil

later succeeded Charles Haney as Rogers Bridge President. Both of these fine gentlemen were great leaders of people and great construction engineers and managers, and knew how to FOSTER A COOPERATIVE SPIRIT between employees of the contractor and representatives of GDOT to achieve project success, a combination that served GDOT and Rogers Bridge Company very well. The same may be said of two other former GDOT employees: Glenn Fountain, who later became President of Seaboard Construction Company in Brunswick, and Don Mayo, who later became Vice President of Shepherd Construction Company in Atlanta. v

Once I was project manager on a contract with CPS joint venture, a real estate development consortium owned by Pete Calabro, Ross Perot, and Roger Staubach. They built with private funds the first stretch of the four-lane road now known as Eastside Drive, which parallels SR 400 near Alpharetta. I had to move a considerable amount of earth from the north side of SR 120 to the south side. They wanted the road built as quickly as possible, and the contract schedule was tight. I had previously seen Cecil Pearce, when serving as Area Engineer in Brunswick, Georgia, help to find creative, cooperative solutions with the contractors to expedite work on I-95, when it was then being newly constructed in the area. I called Cecil and asked for a meeting regarding the Alpharetta project, and requested at the meeting to haul earth across SR 120 in off-road scraper pans, rather than over the road dump trucks. He told me that if I could prove to him that the PSI of the scraper tires, when the scraper pan was fully loaded, was less than the June | July 2016

1916

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

Celebrating a Century of

SIMPLY THE BEST IN SERVICE, SAFETY & INNOVATION

2016

marks the year of Georgia DOT’s centennial!

On August 16, 1916, the Georgia Highway Commission—now Georgia Department of Transportation—was created. And for the last 100 years, Georgia DOT has played a key role in the growth and transformation of the state with transportation infrastructure improvements that increase economic growth through expanded markets and increased job opportunities. In every decade of Georgia DOT’s 100-year history, road building has improved mobility, enhanced quality of life, presented significant business opThis article and photos, unless otherwise indicated, are courtesy of the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Office of Communications and District Offices.

portunities beyond the paving of a road, and encouraged innovation. As road building evolved into a profession, jobs were created and more people were connected to more places. Tourism increased, and the state experienced growth in businesses that serve the traveling public. In the last three decades, demand for improved transportation and higher infrastructure investment has inspired great innovation. For example, the use of fiber optics for incident

management; high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes; Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS); the Highway Emergency Response Operator (HERO program; 511 service; and innovative roadway and interchange designs are all part of our continued effort to provide the best transportation system. During the last century, funding for transportation and infrastructure improvements has been a consistent discussion at the local, state, and national levels. More recently, the federal Highway Trust Fund became unsustainable partly because gas taxes did not generate the revenue they did years ago when demand was higher and cars were less fuel efficient. On the state level, we are indeed grateful for the turning point in transportation that came in 2015 with the passage by state lawmakers of the Transportation Funding Act (TFA). This historic legislation provides a sustainable transportation revenue source to adGeorgia Contractor

1960s

1970s

dress Georgia’s transportation needs, and to restore and maintain the state’s critical transportation infrastructure. While we celebrate 100 years of Simply the Best in Safety, Service, and Innovation, we reflect on our past accomplishments, but our work is not done. There are challenges to come in the next 100 years and beyond. The automobile of the future will have a tremendous impact on transportation, and finding new and innovative ways to address freight and mobility concerns will always be a primary goal for us. Our strategic goals of planning and constructing the best set of mobility-focused projects on a schedule; making safety investments and improvements where the traveling public is most at risk; making GDOT a better place to work and taking care of what we have in the most efficient way possible, are entrenched in the work we do daily. And we are eager and well positioned to meet the future. Transportation is about connecting people and it is a critical part of our everyday lives. That’s why it is important to us here at GDOT. We are indeed proud of Georgia DOT’s long legacy—a legacy of employees working to provide the best transportation system for Georgia’s citizens. We look forward to serving Georgians for another 100 years. Russell R. McMurry, P.E., Commissioner

June | July 2016

1980s

1990s

2016

VIeW oF MeMorIAL BrIDGeThe bridge was Federal Aid Project 201; begun in 1922 by the State Highway Department with W.R. Neel as State Engineer.

Helen Shaw Harrold and two of 9 her children, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia 1921. Photo Credit: Vanishing Georgia Collection, Georgia Archives.

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

2010s

The Good Roads Movement, DIXIE HIGHWAY &

THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ACT OF 1916

n the 1880s, the Good Roads Movement was a national crusade that was initially led by bicycle en-

Dixie Highway, an early automobile highway connecting Chicago and Miami, served as a model for what was

and maintenance was beyond the capabilities of independent rural counties. Who should pay that cost would be debated for the next one hundred years. Addressing this need in 1916, the United States Congress passed the Federal Aid Highway Act which allotted an initial $75 million to finance roadways. In order to receive these funds, each state had to form a state highway department to oversee construction con-

DIxIe HIGHWAY The Dixie Highway was a United States automobile highway, ďŹ rst planned in 1914 to connect the US Midwest with the Southern United States. 1915-Present Length: 5,786 Miles.

thusiasts, riding clubs, and bicycle manufacturers. As interest in bicycles waned and automobile ownership gained momentum, Georgia farmers and rural communities saw roads as the best way to get produce to and from markets not accessed by railroads. As automobile ownership increased, so did the demand for better roads. By 1916, the 20

possible. Funded by a group of individuals, businesses, local governments, and states, the Dixie Highway had three designated routes through Georgia. These routes and their impact on communities along them highlighted the potential of good roads. Nearly everyone agreed that good roads were good for Georgia, but the cost of construction

tracts and interface with Washington. On August 16th of the same year, the Georgia General Assembly founded the Highway Department of Georgia and tapped its members from the Prison Commission of Georgia, the State Geologist, the Dean of the College of Civil Engineering at the University of Georgia, and the Professor of Highway Engineering at the Georgia School of Technology. These individuals took office as the State Highway Commission.

Georgia Contractor

1960s 8

1970s

1980s

An act by the General Assembly on August 18, 1919, created an entirely new State Highway Board (SHB), composed of three appointees of the Governor. The Board’s first official act was the appointment of W. R. Neel as the State Highway Engineer with an annual salary of $6000. As a testament to the political nature of road building in the state, Mr. Neel would also be the last professional engineer to hold this position until 1975.

2000s

IN THe 1880s,

Despite the formation of the Highway Department, allocations for road construction during the first two years remained paltry. Federal Aid in 1917 was only $134,329 and $268, 658 in 1918. In spite of these amounts, the Department succeeded in inaugurating 75 federal aid projects in 64 counties from 1916 to 1919. During this time, many counties took the initiative and voted large bond issues for road-building. This was significant since it enabled the Georgia General Assembly to avoid both higher tax rates and state-level bonded debt as county funds counted toward the federal matching funds mandate.

1990s

the Good Roads Movement was a national crusade that was initially led by bicycle enthusiasts, riding clubs, and bicycle manufacturers.

Funds were allocated among the congressional districts to construct projects recommended by the Division engineers. The SHB designated the first state system of highways, a total of four running 800 miles. The SHB also placed under construction 170.4 miles of paving, helped to make more roads passable by applying a sand/clay mixture on 673.5 miles of roads, and graded 34.4 miles of roadway. The construction of 28 new bridges was also initiated.

formed in 1919 to inspect and repair roads which were part of the new highway system. The goal was to begin maintenance soon enough to prevent the deterioration of the roads and protect the investment. This office would also become the model for counties in the maintenance of their roads.

The State Maintenance Office was

By 1919, twelve Division engineers were appointed—one for each cong re s s i o n a l district— and the first budget was created.

June | July 2016

1910s 2010s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

Building the Department

AND THE AUTOMOBILE AGE

three years. Along with a shortage of manpower, increased material prices due to the war meant that concrete for bridges was scarce. Much of the grading,

had solidified the state and federal partnership and allowed each state to manage their own road building with a budget of over $75 million a year - five times what the 1916 act provided. The funding could only be secured when states matched it with funds of their own, and Georgia was primarily accumulating revenues from the state’s gas tax, but not all of the revenue was dedicated to building roads. The annual re-

eﬀorts to improve highway safety began by addressing railroad crossings. This resulted in the elimination of many at-grade crossings where feasible.

drainage, and surfacing work was done with local materials, if it could be done at all. On the positive side, the Department received a fleet of trucks valued at $2 million from the War Department, and this much-needed equipment was distributed to counties. By 1920, the Department was ready to roll. The Federal Highway Act of 1921

port for 1922 stated that a total of $23,299,550.22, which included $9,362,230.50 in federal funds, had been dedicated to the construction of new roads. The Highway Department’s leadership focused on creating an organization that could take on the challenge of building and maintaining roads strategically. By 1922, the Department’s organization included a statistician, accountants, a maintenance testing engineer, a construction engineer and a bridge engineer. A Blue Print Department was added by 1923. Fire Chief Walt Wilberson in motorcar, Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Georgia. Photo Credit: Vanishing Georgia Collection, Georgia Archives.

he Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 was the legacy of the Good Roads Movement and the beginning of the federal and state partnership that continues today. As the federal government provided increased funding for road building and maintenance, the Dixie Highway Association was disbanded, and the Dixie Highway was absorbed by the U. S. Route system. The federal government was the obvious choice to help fund the building of roads and resolve issues of standardization and interstate connectivity. During the 1920s, highway transportation began to assume a dominant role in America. The first two decades of the twentieth century saw the transition of the automobile from a rich man’s toy to a fairly dependable method for transporting people and goods. World War I had inhibited road building for nearly

Georgia Contractor

1960s 8

1970s

1980s

View of Memorial Bridge during construction. This bridge was dedicated to those who lost their lives ﬁghting in World War I and crosses the Flint River at Calhoun Street. Photo Credit: Vanishing Georgia Collection, Georgia Archives.

A uniform system of numbering and marking interstate highways was developed by a board consisting of members from the Bureau of Public Roads and 21 state highway officials.

On the state level, the gas tax increased four times during this decade. The original one cent increased to three cents per gallon in 1921, three and one-half cents in 1925, four cents in 1927 and six cents in 1929. In 1920, the first state highway map was published by the SHB. The map showed state roads, county seats and a few of Georgia’s larger cities and towns.

2000s

BAINBrIDGe, 1922-1926.

New paving processes replaced dirt as the primary material for roadways; machinery developed for specific purposes, such as grading, tamping, and spreading asphalt, replaced farm tractors.

Each state was tasked with selecting systems of roads—major north-south and east-west routes—that would connect the country. By 1929, the Georgia map showed seven roads designated by the U. S. highway shield; they were U. S. 84, U. S. 17, U. S 301, U. S. 80, U. S. 41, U. S. 29, and U. S. 1.

1990s

Nine new Division offices were established in Rome, Gainesville, Griffin, Augusta, Americus, Dublin, Savannah, Thomasville, and Waycross in 1924. These offices provided a liaison between the General Offices in Atlanta and the highway construction and maintenance at the grassroots level. As a result of requests from organizations including Garden Clubs, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Daughters of the American Revolution, the Federation of Women’s Clubs,

and the Georgia Automobile Association, the Department began taking steps toward roadway beautification by planting trees along selected roadways in 1928. By 1929, funding for roads was provided by federal aid, the state motor vehicle license and registration fees, and the state gas tax. In contrast to the initial years of the Department, funding from the counties was minimal.

Efforts to improve highway safety began by addressing railroad crossings. This resulted in the elimination of many at-grade crossings where feasible.

June | July 2016

1910s 2010s

1930s

1920s

1940s

1950s

The Great Depression &

PAVING WITH POLITICS

he Great Depression worsened an economic downturn that began in Georgia a decade earlier. During the

the United States’ entry into World War II would the depression in the state fully recede. The Great Depression reduced the number of registered

BUILT AS AN eMerGeNCY WAr eﬀort between 1935 and 1944, view during construction of the bridge spanning the Darien River in McIntosh County. GDOT archives.

ical landscape also had a marked effect on the work of the State Highway Department due in part to its success in obtaining federal funds. By 1933, the State Highway Department accounted for half of Georgia’s budget, often making the funds a political football. Building new roads was frequently used as a campaign promise, as well as a payoff for support. The Department was also used as a dispenser of patronage jobs es-

BY JUNe 1938, four interstate routes or trunk lines were completely paved from state line to state line from north to south, and four from east to west.

1920s, the falling price of cotton and the effects of the boll weevil to the crop had robbed many small farmers of any prospect of making a living. Not until 24

vehicles in the state, and this impacted tag fees and tax collections from gas sales. During the 1930s, Georgia’s polit-

pecially at a leadership level. Friction between the State Highway Board and the Governor’s office also resulted in another reorganization of the Department and a reduction in the motor vehicle registration fee. The overall result of the Great Depression and political maneuvers was fewer new roads during this decade and a state falling further behind economically. In spite of these challenges, the Department adopted new road standards that brought more federal money to the state. The state also benefitted from the Works Project Administration (WPA) which spent $14.4 million to help Georgia construct 3,201 miles of roads and over 300 bridges from 1935 to 1942. Georgia Contractor

1960s 8

1970s

In March 1931, the Department moved to a new general office across from the State Capitol on the corner of Capitol Avenue and Mitchell Street, now known as Capitol Square. By the end of the decade, two floors were added to the original two with a basement to accommodate several new divisions and functions. In 1933, in a dramatic sequence of events, Governor Eugene Talmadge ordered the National Guard to seize control of the Highway Department after a much publicized dispute with the board. The same year, the six operating Divisions were reduced to three and a new three-man Highway Board was appointed. The General Assembly, facing a financial crisis, transferred $2 million in highway funds to pay the salaries of teachers, school bus drivers, and pensions for Confederate veterans. On March 18, 1937, the Division of Post Roads was created by an Act of the General Assembly to focus on improving secondary or feeder roads. The Division of Highway Planning was established on June 1, 1937. The principal function of the Division was conducting studies of highway and traffic conditions in the state in order to develop long range plans. The new longrange plann i n g capabilities

June | July 2016

1980s

1990s

2000s

SoUTH GeorGIA TeACHerSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CoLLeGe bus, Statesboro, Bulloch County, Georgia, ca. 1933. Photo Credit: Vanishing Georgia Collection, Georgia Archives.

would become the backbone of road building in later decades.

A new State Highway Board was created in 1937, and it immediately increased the number of operating divisions from three to seven in order to maintain more supervisory control over the expanding work program. Offices were located in Rome, Gainesville, Augusta, Macon, Columbus, Savannah, and Fitzgerald. The U.S. Bureau of Public Roads devised the first plan of a national interstate system in 1938. This study recommended a system of interregional highways with connections through and around cities. It also recommended that a federal land authority be created to acquire, hold, and sell lands for highway rights-of-way. The debate on how to fund this pro-

gram would rage on for the next 20 years. By June 1938, four interstate routes or trunk lines were completely paved from state line to state line from north to south, and four from east to west. The Maintenance Office began marking the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary roads with centerlines and implementing no-passing zones to improve roadway safety. Design standards advanced during the 1930s as roads were designed with wider rights-of-way, improved horizontal and vertical curvature to increase sight distance, wider travel lanes, wider shoulders, and flatter fill and cut slopes in order to improve safety.

1910s 2010s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

World War Two

POST-WAR INFRASTRUCTURE & PUBLIC WORKS CAMPAIGN

etween 1941 and 1945, America was fighting World War II. Gas was rationed to two gallons per week, and

in the federal aid program were cancelled by the Public Roads Administration with only essential projects approvedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;mainly access roads to mili-

IN 1941, THIS CATerPILLAr roAD-GrADer was used during road construction around the Contract Training School at Bush Field in Augusta. Courtesy of Yancey Brothers archives.

continued to use the promise of highway jobs to entice supporters and reward allies. Some workers lost their jobs during this period simply because they backed the wrong candidate. In 1949, the State Highway Department (SHD) was placed under the State Merit System of Personnel Administration, effectively removing politics from hiring and firing decisions. The Department added new of-

roADWAY MAINTeNANCe was also minimal due to manpower and material shortages.

gas tax collections declined. As a result, manpower and materials were scarce and these factors curtailed road building. All construction programs involved 26

tary bases or war-related industry. Roadway maintenance was also minimal due to manpower and material shortages. In the 1930s and 1940s, politicians

fices and new functions during this decade to prepare for the end of the war as well as the interstate construction that surely was the future. During the latter period of the war effort, surveys were made and plans were prepared for postwar projects making it possible, in 1946, to let the largest number of highway construction contracts in the Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. Also in 1946, the Department provided an on-the-job-training program sponsored by the Veterans Administration to 881 employees. These employees participated in correspondence or other schools to qualify for positions such as construction inspector, project engineer, draftsman, designer, mechanic, and other higher paying job. Georgia Contractor

1960s 8

1970s

The Office of Traffic and Safety was organized in February 1940 under a resolution passed by the SHB. This office initiated a more uniform marking of roads and installed signals. In 1943, the General Assembly abolished the State Highway Board and placed the State Highway Department under the authority of a state highway commission, a state highway director, and a treasurer. Also in 1943, members of a new 12-man advisory commission were selected from Georgia’s ten congressional districts and two from state at-large berths. The director and treasurer served on a full-time basis while the commission members served part-time with a four-year term that ran concurrently with the governor’s term. In this decade, several new offices were established. In April 1944, the Right of Way Office was organized to handle the acquisition of rights of way for state and federal-aid projects. Previously, counties were

June | July 2016

1980s

1990s

2000s

ST. MArY’S DePoT and telephone exchange, Saint Marys, Camden County, Georgia 1940. Photo Credit: Vanishing Georgia Collection, Georgia Archives. responsible for a c qu i s i t i o n . This foretold a shift from a time when most construction took place in or near existing right-of-way.

8 In

January 1945, the Landscaping Office was created to supervise the design, construction and maintenance of roadside projects including planting trees, and grassing and fertilizing slopes to prevent erosion.

In 1947, the Division of Urban Projects was created to administer and process federal aid urban funds. An urban area was defined as a community having a population of 5,000 or more.

an engineering firm hired by the city. Atlanta’s phenomenal growth is often credited to this early expressway effort, but this also marked the state’s transition to long-range planning and a shift toward more involvement in urban areas as cities began to expand beyond their boundaries. In 1949, the Georgia General Assembly increased the state gas tax from six to seven cents.

8 In 1946, work began on the Downtown Connector—a four and six-lane divided expressway running north-south with limited access. Atlanta was on the fast-track ten years before the Federal Highway Act of 1956. The effort was the result of a detailed transportation study by H. W. Lochner and Company, 27

1910s 2010s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

Funding of

RURAL ROADS AND BRIDGES & REALIZATION OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM modernization, most Georgian’s recognized the need for effective transportation infrastructure—roads, bridges, and interstate highway—as essential to the

FACING SoUTH on Atlanta’s Downtown Connector in 1951. The North Avenue bridge is shown in the background. GDOT archives.

spent millions on roadways, it was still not keeping up with the demand. The country was on the verge of an economic and technological boom, and people were buying bigger cars with more powerful engines. The Bureau of Public Roads claimed that 76 percent of the country’s roads were outdated, too narrow, and too congested. Increased industrialization, migration from the agricultural countryside, and the growth of cities and their expanding suburbs had fundamentally transformed Georgia. Because of this 28

state’s development. In a 1954 address to the Georgia State Budget Commission, the chairman of the State Highway Board, James L. Gillis stated, “We know that in the main this problem is one of finances. This is true in the cities and counties as well as in the State Highway System.” The General Assembly addressed part of the problem with the creation of the State Bridge Building Authority in March 1953. Slightly more than a year later, the legislature also established the State Toll Bridge Authority to finance

the construction of the $6.65 million Turtle River Bridge (currently the Sidney Lanier Bridge) in Brunswick. While the state routes had been improved somewhat, the country farm-tomarket roads were still neglected. The Rural Roads Authority was created in early 1955 in order to “lift rural Georgians out of the mud.” The authority was funded by $100 million in bond revenue, a significant departure from the ‘pay as you go’ policy that Georgia had historically depended upon. Although the administration of Governor Marvin Griffin was plagued with multiple charges of waste, fraud, and inappropriate spending, no one could deny that thousands of miles of rural roads were paved during his four year term. The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, also known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, shifted the dream into high gear. The Highway Trust Fund was created to collect gasoline taxes from motorists and disburse the accumulated funds to the individual states. It was the sole source of federal aid for the interstates and remains a major highway funding vehicle to this day. Under the 1956 Act, the federal government would be responsible for 90 percent of the construction finances while the remaining ten percent would come from state funds. Five men in front of a car, Newnan, Coweta County, Georgia, ca. 1950. Photo Credit page 25: Vanishing Georgia Collection, Georgia Archives.

uring the post-World War II years, times were good, but roads were inferior. Although Congress had

Georgia Contractor

1960s 8

1970s

Standardization became the Interstate’s hallmark. With collaboration between state departments of transportation and the US Department of Defense, planners laid out a highway system that would serve both peacetime and strategic defense needs. Choosing signs and shields, determining the best materials for roadway durability, and discussing the benefits of one design over another was done at a national level. In February 1950, the Georgia General Assembly once again reorganized the State Highway Department. They abolished the position of state highway director as well as the advisory commission and established a three-man highway board instead. With more people traveling to more places, roadside parks became a popular service to the public. By the end of the 1950s, 188 parks had been built, almost entirely with state funds. Although aerial photography had been used by the Department since 1940, the Department purchased an airplane and hired a full-time pilot in 1952 as it began to use photogrammetric or aerial photography that would be useful in determining the paths for the new Interstates. A new laboratory was also built at the Atlanta Airport for the production of aerial photo-

June | July

1980s

1990s

2000s

SMYrNA FILLING STATIoN Cobb County, Georgia. 1953

graphs and maps. In order to determine the best materials to use for road construction in Georgia, the Division of Materials and Tests was established by the SHB in February 1956. To support this effort, a testing lab for joint research was built on the Georgia Tech campus at a cost of $1 million. The Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 was the first federal legislation that addressed air pollution and lead to the Clean Air Act of 1963 which would include mandates to control air pollution. Nearing the end of this decade, 1958 turned out to be a record year for construction in Georgia as $136 million was spent on construction and improvement of roads in the state. By 1958, establishment of rest areas on the interstate system began. These rest areas would include paved parking, water, and a bulletin board with maps. They were planned to be spaced 25 miles

apart. I n 1 9 5 9 , Georgia’s first interstate marker, I-75, was unveiled by Governor Ernest Vandiver in the largest road dedication ceremony in the state’s history. Ribbon cutting ceremonies were held on the northern end of a 37 mile segment of I-75 in Turner and Tift counties. By 1958, public hearings were held on any roadway project bypassing or going through a city, town, or village to solicit the recommendations of local citizens in the final location of the roadway. With an increased need to inform the public of the impact of our projects, the Division of Public Relations was formed in 1956. This division would soon organi z e the largest road dedication ceremonies in Georgia history.

1910s 2010s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

The Golden Age of Roads

MEETS THE DAWNING OF AQUARIUS rounding the lack of coordination between urban renewal efforts and freeway construction plans in urban areas also developed. At a time when society

THe oFFICIAL oPeNING oF INTerSTATe 285 was held on October 15, 1969 at the south end of the I-285 bridge over the Chattahoochee River near Bolton Road in Fulton County. After speeches by Governor Lester Maddox and other dignitaries, the governor led a motorcade to DeKalb County.

tion had moved forward at a record pace, but this success, along with other upheavals of the times, caused an examination of the purpose of transportation. By the end of the 1960s, transportation decisions were not only aimed toward economic growth, but they also considered social impacts, beauty of highways, and protection of the environment. At the beginning of the 1960s, the national press frequently reported claims of corruption and inefficiency in the implementation of the interstate program. Controversy sur30

was embracing so-called slum-clearance projects, the interstate program would also displace many residents. Both efforts devastated many historic neighborhoods populated by citizens with lower incomes. As the interstates began to run through blighted areas where right-of-way costs were low, the Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum, illuminating this inequity. Even as construction of the Interstate System continued, another financial crisis threatened to derail it. In response, the Federal Highway Act of 1961 made the

4-cent gas tax that was set to expire in 1961 permanent and adjusted other excise taxes to provide the revenue needed to complete the Interstate System. With state matching funds, the legislation accounted for $27 billion to fund the remainder of the federal program through 1972. This was the same amount that Congress had thought in 1956 would be the total cost of the program. The Golden Age of Roads could also be called the beginning of the golden age of environmental law making as legislative efforts were made to protect natural resources, involve communities in transportation decision making, and protect individual rights. The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1962 which took effect July 1, 1965, included two provisions of note. First, the 3C process directed only projects based on cooperative, continuing and comprehensive transportation planning to be approved in areas with a population of 50,000 or more. In Georgia, this mandate would apply to cities such as Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah. Second, Section 5 provided relocation advisory assistance for individuals, businesses, farms or nonprofit organizations displaced by federal aid projects. ÂŠ Robert Wisdom | Dreamstime.com. ÂŠ Wiscan | Dreamstime.com - <a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/st ock-images-vw-campervan-t1image28585754#res3866240">VW Campervan T1 Photo</a>

his decade has been called the Golden Age of Roads in Georgia and throughout the nation. Interstate construc-

Georgia Contractor

1960s 8

1970s

On January 25, 1963, the SHB was reorganized once again to be composed of ten members with a chairman and vice chairman elected by the board. The act also created the Director of the SHD, who was employed as a full-time public official and served as the chief administrative officer of the Department. The director had authority over the operations of the SHD while the board had authority to formulate broad highway policy. The first five Interstate System rest facilities, located on I-75 in Lowndes, Cook and Dooly counties, opened in 1963. Welcome stations had been opened in Hart County (I-85) and Catoosa County (I-75). Restroom facilities were also installed in the roadside parks built in the 1950s. In 1964, there were 254 roadside parks and rest areas with ten more under construction. The Division of Utilities was established in 1964 although the work had previously been part of the responsibilities of the Division of Road Design.

1980s

1990s

This division would also serve as liaison with railroads. Rules and regulations governing the prequalification of contractors were developed and published in June 1965. The Appalachian Development Act of 1965 was created by Congress for the construction of new highways and to improve inadequate sections of existing highways in the Appalachian region. Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s portion of the Appalachian Corridor consisted of 86.4 miles of new and/or improved roadway extending from I-285 north of Atlanta to the North Carolina line. The Highway Beautification Act was signed into law on October 22, 1965. The goal of the act was to control the erection and maintenance of outdoor advertising adjacent to the Interstate System. On August 28, 1965, Congress passed the Highway Safety Act of 1966 to provide financial assistance to the states to address

June | July 2016

2000s

highway traffic safety programs. This marked the first major effort at the federal level to reduce the number a n d severity o f highway-related crashes, although the Department had been involved in safety efforts since its inception. The U.S. Department of Transportation enabling act in 1966 established the new, cabinet-level Department of Transportation, which assumed a multi-modal responsibility linking highways, railways, airways, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. Federal Highway Administration was formed in 1966 under the U.S. Department of Transportation Act, which merged functions of the Department of Commerce and the Interstate Commerce Commission. In 1966, a Landscape Design Section was added to the Division of Road Design. The section employed three landscape architects and a draftsman. The Bridge Inspection Program began in 1969 and was aimed at extending the usable life of bridges through routine maintenance. 31

1910s 2010s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

Challenge, Controversy, &

THE YEAR OF THE INTERSTATE

PreSIDeNTIAL CANDIDATe JIMMY CArTer, Photo Credit: Vanishing Georgia Collection, Georgia Archives.

motoring public. Between November 22 and December 23, 1977, Interstates 20, 75, 85, and 95 were completed, making 1977 the ‘Year of the Interstate’ in Georgia. In 1978, Interstate 16 was opened to traffic, completing the original Interstate System in Georgia. This decade saw a change in name and expanded function for the Department. The Executive Reorganization Act of 1972 transferred all powers from the SHD to the Georgia Department of Transpor t ation (GDOT), which inherited a number of other state agency functions including air por ts, aviation, landing

fields, and other aviation facilities; inspections of motor vehicles, size, and weight permits; and some public transportation activities. At this time, the former divisions became offices, a purely organization distinction. The State Highway Board was renamed the State Transportation Board with the same number of members. Thomas Bertram (Bert) Lance would become the first Commissioner of GDOT in 1972. Lance would not only implement Governor Jimmy Carter’s transportation policy priorities, but he also served as one of the polarizing governor’s chief lobbyists and boosters across the state. © Photographerv8 | Dreamstime.com - <a href="http://www.dreamstime .com/royalty-free-stock-photo-vintage-dodge-challenger-car-photoshot-image36394615#res3866240"> Vintage dodge challenger car 1970</a>

y the early 1970s, American oil consumption was rising even as domestic oil production was declining, leading to an increasing dependence on oil imported from abroad. Despite this, Americans worried little about a dwindling supply or a spike in prices. In 1973, an oil embargo led to fuel shortages and skyhigh prices throughout much of the decade. In an attempt to decrease demand, a national speed limit was imposed and daylight saving time was adopted year-round for the period of 1974-75. The energy crisis also impacted the state’s transportation. Georgia received $6 million less revenue from the federal highway fund while the cost of highway building materials climbed by more than 25 percent in two years. The crusade to protect the environment from toxic industrial waste, dangerous meltdowns at nuclear power plants, and highways cutting through city neighborhoods accelerated during the 1970s and increased public scrutiny of roadway projects. Americans celebrated the first Earth Day in 1970, and Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act the same year. The Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act followed two years later. The ‘mighty network of highways’ planned by Congress and President Eisenhower was to be completed by October 1, 1972. On that date, 75 percent of Georgia’s proposed 1,150 mile Interstate System had been constructed and opened to the

Georgia Contractor

1960s 8

1970s

To meet the needs of the 1970s, the General Assembly had increased the motor fuel tax in Georgia to 7 ½ cents per gallon in 1969. The DOT implemented the ‘Motorist Aid Program’ in 1972. This was later abolished due to the Department’s efforts to cut costs. Between 1970 and 1975, Georgia DOT spent $12 million in safety modifications and improvements. By 1976, Georgia ranked in the top 15 states in overall safety. Just ten years earlier, the state had ranked 48th in the nation. From 1970-75, due to improved roads and safety features, along with the new 55 mph speed limit, there was a 39 percent decrease in traffic fatalities. The Federal Highway Act of 1974 provided a uniform speed limit of 55 mph to decrease gasoline consumption, more stringent controls on outdoor advertising, a new funding category, and changes in the weight allowance for trucks in order to protect infrastructure on the Interstate System. Federal highway funds were released to the states in early 1975. In 1975, Tom Moreland was elected commissioner. This

June | July 2016

1980s

1990s

marked the first time since 1919 that a professional engineer would serve as executive head for the Department. During his first months as commissioner he initiated an innovative reorganization of the department’s five operating divisions by reshuffling them along functional lines. The five divisions—planning and programming, administration, operations, preconstruction and construction— represented the linear progression of any road building project, regardless of size, from beginning to end. In 1974, the first lady of Georgia, Rosalyn Carter, established the Wildflower Program as a partnership between GDOT and the Garden Club of Georgia. By 1994, 10,000 miles of roadway would be enhanced by trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Permanent weigh stations were planned with the first station to be located in Monroe County near Forsyth.

2000s

million was spent on LARP’s sister program, Local Assistance Bridge (LAB) program to replace 200 bridges off the state highway syst e m , primarily on school bus routes. These projects helped cities and counties alleviate serious road maintenance problems due to severe winters and insufficient funding. Following the accelerated postwar/pre-interstate hiring, the Department reduced the workforce from approximately 9000 employees at the beginning of the decade to 6509 by the end of the decade. In September 1979, I-185 was completed connecting Columbus to I-85 for a total cost of $83 million.

Georgia’s Local Assistance Roads Program (LARP) debuted in 1978 with $31 million spent on 259 projects covering 2,100 miles of resurfacing. More than $14

1910s 2010s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

Freeing the

FREEWAYS & THE GRIP PROGRAM

he impact of the oil crisis was still being felt in the early 1980s. Drastic price increases, fuel-efficient vehicles, and fuel shortages negatively affected motor fuel tax revenues. Spiraling prices for all petroleum products took their toll on the Department’s expenses as

gram called Freeing the Freeways took aim at widening the maturing interstate system in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The six or eight-laning of I-20, I-75, I-85, I-285, and the ten-laning of the I-75/I85 Downtown Connector was underway in 1976 and continued throughout the 1980s. The plan included 127 miles

state. At the end of this decade, the Governor’s Road Improvement Program (GRIP) was initiated to economically assist counties not located along interstate routes. Composed of sixteen corridors totaling 2,500 miles, the GRIP system would convert existing primary routes and truck-connecting

resurfacing costs doubled from 1975 to 1980. Clearly, the revenues from motor fuel tax alone could not support maintenance, resurfacing, safety improvements, and capacity expansions. The General Assembly passed legislation which would effectively increase motor fuel tax and earmark interest earnings from the investment of these funds for highway use. Nearing the completion of interstate construction, emphasis immediately began to shift to reconstruction and rehabilitation of the existing infrastructure. A massive reconstruction pro-

at a cost of $1.4 billion. Interstates 985 (1984), I-675 (1986), and the Athens Perimeter Highway (1987) were completed during this decade. The Athens Perimeter Highway opened after 28 years of work, making it the second circumferential highway in Georgia. Among rural counties, those on the interstates had seen better economic growth due to improved access to employment and the relocation of industry and distribution centers. Wherever there was growth in the state, it was almost without question near an inter-

routes to multi-lane highways. When completed, the system would place 98 percent of Georgia’s population within twenty miles of a multi-lane highway, and provide access for oversized trucks to all cities having populations above 2,000.

Georgia Contractor

1960s 8

8 8

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

Energy Efficient Mobility for Georgians (EEMG) provided citizens with alternative ways to deal with the continuing fuel shortage. Plans included building more Park and Ride locations, expanding the ride-share program statewide, constructing High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV) lanes, aiding the expansion of the existing intercity bus system, and increasing public transit accessibility. In 1987, the replacement of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge was underway in Savannah harbor. The cable-stayed bridge would be completed in 1991. The Tom Moreland Interchange (I-85/I-285) opened in 1987. Construction of the five-level, stack interchange had begun in 1982. The interchange’s colloquial name of ‘Spaghetti Junction’ is immortalized in an eponymous song by the Atlantabased hip-hop group Outkast in their 2001 album Stankonia. In 1988, the seat belt law passed and rural interstate speed limits increased to 65 mph. Georgia’s Adopt-A-Highway Program was initiated in 1989, and continues to enlist citizen volunteers’ help to remove litter from state roadsides. While saving taxpayer dollars, the program provides recognition for participating companies and organizations, brings the environmental and monetary costs of littering into public awareness, and promotes civic responsibility and pride

June | July 2016

1910s 2010s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

Intelligent

TRANSPORTATION

y the late 20th century, transportation broadened beyond construction and maintenance of highways to focus on management and enhancement. Congestion and safety, along with the transport of freight, became big concerns, and construction began on nu-

merous bypasses around cities and small towns in Georgia. However, the economic impact of such diversions was largely negative, and more modern solutions were sought for the state as a whole. Advanced Transportation Management Systems (ATMS), or Intelligent Transportation Systems, which focused

on the processing of transportation data, new technology, quick responses, and the dissemination of public information, was at the forefront of the Department’s efforts to ‘keep Georgia on the move.’ State and national partnerships, and public-private partnerships continued to bring innovation to com-

A CA. 1990 VIeW oF CoNSTrUCTIoN oF THe NeW TALMADGe MeMorIAL BrIDGe crossing the Savannah River while traﬃc ﬂow is maintained on the old bridge. GDOT archives. 36

Georgia Contractor

1960s

1970s

plement the Department’s initiatives. In 1990, Atlanta was selected to host the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. The state’s excellent transportation system was widely regarded as having been an integral part of the city’s winning

8 8

Georgia DOT was recognized for having the best maintained and most scenic roads in the country in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, and 1998. NAVIGATOR was initiated in 1991 as the world’s first Advanced Transportation Management System to integrate management of the Interstates and arterials. ‘Let’s Keep Georgia Peachy Clean’— Georgia’s first anti-littering awareness campaign was inaugurated.

1980s

bid. After half a century of building a national transportation infrastructure almost exclusively focused on accommodating automobiles, cities across the country began to shift course, redesigning streets and public spaces for pedes-

In 1991, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) established the National Highway System (NHS) to serve as a network of highways linking different modes of transportation such as public transportation, airports, intermodal facilities, and major shipping ports. Transportation Enhancement and National Scenic Byways programs were established as part of ISTEA. In 1993, the federal gas tax rose to 18.4 cents per gallon. In 1994, Georgia DOT began its first strategic planning initiative with the creation of a mission statement, vision statement, and

June | July 2016

1990s

identification of strategic goals and implementation projects.

trians and cyclists. In 1997, the Georgia Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was adopted by the State Transportation Board.

In November 1994, High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes were introduced to metro Atlanta on the east side of I-20. Also in November 1994, Georgia DOT launched the Highway Emergency Response Operator (HERO) program. The Georgia 400 Extension was completed in the summer of 1993. This project was marked by some of the most intense public scrutiny and media attention ever experienced by GDOT. The roadway included a 500-foot tunnel built beneath the existing 18story Atlanta Financial Center. GDOT also introduced Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) technology using a device known as the Georgia Cruise Card. The card could be used by motorists to automatically pay the road’s toll without having to stop. Summer 1994 floods from Tropical Storm Alberto that took lives, left 22,000 residents homeless, crippled South Georgia’s transportation system and closed I-75 below Macon. GDOT mobilized more than 2,000 personnel from all Districts to help with the recovery effort.

2000s

In 1995, the Transportation Management Center opened, housing the NAVIGATOR system with a fiber optic network along 63 miles of I-75, I-85 and I-285 with 41 Changeable Message Signs, almost 380 cameras, more than 130 electronic traveler information kiosks and 12 Highway Advisory Radios. In 1996, the Summer Olympic Games were held in Atlanta. It was widely agreed that the traffic and transportation plan was the best managed of any Olympic venue to date. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1999. This law authorized federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the six year period 1998-2003. It was the largest public works bill in history and authorized nearly $218 billion in federal funding. The law guaranteed funding amounts for highway and highway safety programs and tied it to actual Highway Trust Fund (HTF) highway account receipts, to be used for projects eligible for funding under the highway and highway safety portions of TEA-21.

1910s 2010s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

Investing in Tomorrow’s

TRANSPORTATION TODAY

t the beginning of the 2000s, Georgia DOT’s greatest challenge continues to be finding a sustainable source of funding while accomplishing its mission and vision to maintain and improve mobility for

Georgians. During this decade, more than half of the state’s transportation budget came from federal funds and with the diminishing value of the gas tax, the greatest challenge continues to be funding. As a result, the Department focused on innovative and creative ways

to manage assets, as well as seeking operational improvements that could provide the greatest bang for the buck and continue to provide mobility for the system’s users. This clearly reflected in the Department’s strategic goals of:

ATLANTA VIeW oF INTerNATIoNAL BoULeVArD BrIDGe. Photo credit: Shutterstock. 38

Georgia Contractor

1960s • • 8

1970s

Planning and constructing the best set of mobility-focused projects on schedule; Making safety investments and In 2002, the Traffic Incident Management Enhancement (TIME) task force was launched to address critical issues related to incident management in the Atlanta metro area.

1980s •

The new and improved Sidney Lanier Bridge, located on US 17 in Glynn County opened to traffic April 7, 2003. In November 2003, Georgia DOT funded the state’s first Safe Routes to School (SRTS) project in metro Atlanta to improve safety and increase the numbers of children, parents and school staff who walk and/or bicycle to and from school. In 2004, three ramp meters were introduced on Atlanta’s Downtown Connector. By 2009, the program was expanded to all metro Interstates in an effort to enhance safety and relieve congestion on metro Atlanta Interstates. Construction of flyover ramp on Northwest Corridor Express Lanes project in 2015. Photo: Cedric Mohr/Georgia DOT In April 2004, Governor Sonny Perdue announced the Fast Forward transportation plan - a sixyear, $15.57 billion state transportation investment strategy to relieve traffic congestion and expand economic develop-

June | July 2016

1990s

improvements where the traveling public is most at risk;

•

Making GDOT a better place to work will make GDOT a place that works better; and ment in urban and rural Georgia. In 2004, legislation allowed Georgia DOT to solicit and receive unsolicited proposals for Public Private Initiatives (PPI). In 2009, the legislation was revised to allow GDOT to only solicit proposals on specific projects. This allowed the Department to explore the concession alternative for the first time. Ultimately, the State decided to go with the Design Build Finance (DBF) approach which allows GDOT to customize the financing needs of a project based on cash flow and available funding for the project. Current projects being done under this method include the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes project and the I-285/GA 400 improvement project. In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) was signed into law by the president. The law required every state to develop Strategic Highway Safety Plans. Georgia’s plan was completed the following year. In 2007, 511 service was introduced, placing traffic and travel information a phone call away, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

2000s Taking care of what we have in the most efficient way possible.

In December 2007, Gena Abraham was hired as the first female Commissioner of the Georgia DOT. In June 2008, Governor Sonny Perdue announced Investing in Tomorrow’s Transportation Today (IT3), designed to bring Georgia DOT, Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, the General Assembly, local partners and the executive branch together to formulate strategies to improve transportation infrastructure throughout the state. This resulted in a Statewide Strategic Transportation Plan in 2010. In 2009, Georgia DOT received $931 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars. These funds were invested in nearly 2,500 safety, new capacity, maintenance and enhancement projects and bridges. This provided work in economically distressed areas of the state and maximized job creation. Also in 2009, the General Assembly created the Director of Planning position that is appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the General Assembly transportation committee. Todd Long, a Georgia DOT employee, was tapped to become the first Director of Planning.

THe SIDNeY LANIer BrIDGe IN BrUNSWICK, GeorGIA. Photo credit: Shutterstock. All photos in this article are courtesy of the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Office of Communications and District Offices unless specifically noted otherwise..

8 8 8

In October 2011, Georgia opened its first Express Lanes (Managed Lanes) on I-85 in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. 2012 saw Georgia open the state’s first Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI), at I-285 and Ashford Dunwoody Road interchange in DeKalb County. Beginning in 2012, GDOT increased its focus on shortterm operational improvements to address congestion and safety with minimal costs – like flexible shoulder lanes and auxiliary lane conversions into continuous thru-traffic on GA 400. In 2012, the Transportation Investment Act (TIA) Referendum was passed by Georgia voters in the regions of Central Savannah River Area, Heart of Georgia Altamaha and River Valley. These three regions implemented a one percent regional sales tax over a ten year period to fund transportation improvements. Georgia DOT is responsible for management of the budget, and schedule, execution and delivery of all projects contained in the approved investment lists. In 2013, Georgia’s managed lane network advanced with the Northwest Corridor (NWC) express lanes anticipated to open in 2018 and the I-75 South express lanes scheduled to open in early 2017. In 2013 and 2014, GDOT’s Quick Response Program improved the State Road system with low cost operational improvements requiring short construction times. Extended or added turn lanes, improved drainage, and concrete islands were completed across the state. The Transportation Funding Act of 2015 provides an estimated $830 million to $1 billion in annual additional revenues. This investment will allow the Department to work through a backlog of capital maintenance projects and to do routine maintenance that is ineligible for federal funds. The state funding allows the Department the ability to move federal funding to less complex projects; allowing projects to be potentially delivered faster and more economically. An increase in roadway fatalities in early 2015 resulted in the launch of DriveAlert ArriveAlive, a campaign to alert the public about the dangers of distracted driving. The campaign implores motorists to buckle up, stay off the phone and drive alert. The year ended with over 220 fatalities more than 2014 —the first annual increase in a decade. Georgia Contractor

June | July 2016

Looking into the

NEXT 100 YEARS…

ike many state transportation departments, Georgia DOT’s greatest challenge has historically been to adequately maintain assets while growing for the future, and to identify and secure sustainable funding to carry out its mission. This hasn’t been easy. After years of funding inadequacies on both the state and federal levels, Georgia lawmakers tackled the issue with HB 170 – the Transportation Funding Act of 2015. TFA addresses Georgia’s critical transportation

infrastructure needs with sustainable funding for much-needed routine maintenance and capital improvements. On the federal front, there was positive news as well. After a decade of short-term funding patches to bolster the Highway Trust Fund, December 2015 saw passage of a five-year federal highway funding bill - Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. This long-term legislation ends the cycle of temporary funding extensions that made it difficult for GDOT to efficiently plan and de-

liver major long-term projects. Transportation in Georgia has come a long way in 100 years. While Georgia DOT reflects on the progress made in the past, the Department looks with optimism to the future … a future with rapidly evolving technology. A future that is coming fast. GDOT will continue to rise to new challenges, to seek out new opportunities, to break new barriers, and to positively impact the lives of Georgians. Georgia’s best days for transportation are truly ahead.v

Georgia Contractor

June | July 2016

Best Wishes to Georgia Department of Transportation FROM ACROSS THE NATION

Georgia Contractor

June | July 2016

Faster Alternatives for Erosion Control By Adam Dibble, Profile Products

Newer erosion control solutions are sprayed on from hydroseeding equipment, eliminating hours of unrolling and stapling erosion control blankets. Seed and soil additives can be applied at the same time, further accelerating job completion.

or years, the standard strategy for combating erosion on construction sites, waterways, roadsides, fire-damaged areas, and other properties has involved the use of sod and rolled erosion control blankets. These blankets remain the solution of choice for smaller sites that are easily accessible, flat or only moderately sloped, and graded to minimize surface irregularities. But newer hydraulic mulches provide a better alternative for both small and large sites with challenges such as difficult access, steep slope,s and uneven terrain. Essentially spray-on blankets, these hydraulically applied products are engi-

neered to hold seed, soil, and fertilizer in place using an environmentally friendly mix of ingredients such as recycled wood fibers, ceramic particles, polymers, and interlocking manmade fibers designed to optimize performance. They are mixed into a slurry, loaded into a tank, and sprayed from a truck or trailer, bonding directly to the soil surface as they dry. The result is faster, less expensive,

and in many cases, more effective soil stabilization and revegetation, including 50-80 percent faster application

Adam Dibble is a Certified Erosion Sediment and Storm Water Inspector (CESSWI) and the erosion control brand manager for Profile Products (www.profileproducts.com). Georgia Contractor

with associated savings in labor costs. Not all jobs require the advanced performance of hydraulic mulch products or justify the mobilization of hydroseeding equipment, but for those that do, the benefits can be substantial. Rolled vs. Spray-on Blankets

Rolled erosion control blankets help protect property from wind and water erosion while also aiding in establishing turf grass for new residential or commercial developments, roadside construction, and other projects. They can be effective on the right site, but one drawback is that they are both time- and labor-intensive. Before application, for example, the soil must be raked level to ensure contact between dirt and cover. Workers must then spread fertilizer and grass seed, roll out the first blanket, staple it every two to three feet to hold the edges down, roll out the next blanket so that the two overlap, and repeat the process. It takes a crew of five or six at least four hours to cover one acre and often more, depending on staple pattern and blanket dimensions. That doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t include site preparation time. Another downside involves the tenting and bridging problems created by spaces left between the soil and the blanket because of debris, uneven surfaces, and rough subgrades. This leads to water flow under the blanket that can cause soil erosion, air pockets that smother vegetation growth, and the risk of pollution caused by soil washing downstream during a rainstorm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all undermining the goal of minimizing soil loss and accelerating seed germination. Hydraulically applied erosion control products overcome these limitations in several ways. First, they save time because they require far less soil preparation effort. Since spray-on products bond to the soil as they dry, they can be applied over uneven grades, steep terrain, and even tracked slopes (after rough grading with a bulldozer) without the raking or other fine grading required to enable a rolled June | July 2016

blanket to maintain intimate contact with the soil. Second, because hydroseeding allows both seed and soil additives or fiber mulches to be applied simultaneously, it eliminates the duplicated effort involved with separate seeding and blanket application processes. Third, it shrinks the crew required to apply the products to two or three people, depending on the size of the

project as well as the size of the hydroseeding machine. One person drives the truck, and one or two feed the products into the tank and operate the spraying mechanism. One-man units can also be used for very small projects. Regulatory Compliance Benefits

In addition, compared to straw, excelsior or even coconut fiber blankets, hydraulic mulch products offer

performance benefits and associated compliance advantages that are related to the spray-on process itself as well as to the way these products are engineered. Since every inch of soil is coated with the sprayed product and bonded to it, there are no gaps between the soil and the protective cover. That eliminates the previously mentioned tenting and bridging problems, along with the under-blanket washouts and poor vegetation growth environments created by those gaps. These protections also aid compli48

ance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations limiting soil and stormwater runoff on construction sites, reducing the risk of contractor penalties. The fact that these hydraulic mulch products are engineered to resist raindrop impact and sheet flow as well as optimize water and nutrient retention also reduces soil loss, decreases the need for watering, and expedites vegetation establishment. And with none of the plastic netting, threads or staples of rolled blankets, hydraulic mulch products cannot

get caught in mowers or harm small animals like snakes, lizards, and birds visiting or living on the property in question. Both rolled blankets and hydraulic erosion control products have their place, depending on the site involved. Both can help establish vegetation to prevent mudslides, water pollution, and loss of soil, human property, and wildlife habitat. Consult your landscape supply company to determine which solution is right for each project. v Georgia Contractor

June | July 2016

Georgia Contractor

Interview with

MARTA’ S General Manager, Keith Parker

By Daniel J. Simmons | Editor | Georgia Engineer Magazine

MARTA was one of the first agencies that procured natural gas buses in 1996. Our current fleet size is 565 buses, and 74 percent are CNG (420 buses). Our current CNG bus manufacturer is New Flyer, and our engine manufacturers are Cummins (366 engines) and John Deere (54 engines). We plan to convert our entire fleet to CNG fuels vehicles by FY 17/18. Our current fleet size is 565 buses, with 420 CNG buses and 145 diesel buses. June | July 2016

The Georgia Contractor magazine sat down with Keith Parker of MARTA to get an update about what’s new with Atlanta’s transit system. A lot has changed in the three years since Mr. Parker took over and he has big plans for the coming years. For so many in the Metro Atlanta area, MARTA is a transportation alternative for big events like ball games and expos when you don’t want to drive. Parker, on the other hand, envisions a future where MARTA is anything but an alternative. As droves of peoKeith Parker ple continue to migrate into the city from the suburbs and the greater US, it’s easy to see how right he may be and how important MARTA’s role will be in our city’s future. WiFi "Over the next year, we’re looking to put WiFi on every bus and every train. This is something that we’re very excited about because it means that everyone on one of our buses or trains will be able to connect, do work, and a whole host of things. We’re also going foreword with a mobile payment program that would allow you to use your smart phone in lieu of a traditional ticket. Someone could get through the bus or train system just by tapping their phone onto a receiver and having their account debited automatically." 51

Smart Cameras "We’re also going foreword with a new video analytics system. We have placed artificial intelligence cameras throughout our entire system, primarily rail, which will learn about the normal behaviors of our customers and our crowds so that if an abnormal behavior occurs, the system can hone in on it and alert our rail control or police to respond. For instance, let’s say that a person wanders onto the tracks and it’s 2:00 in the morning and there’s no reason for that person to be there. The computer will alert us. Or, let’s say that we’ve got an event where a large volume of people are using public transit, like the July 4th race, and we’ve issued a public safety edict banning backpacks. The system is sensitive enough that it can actually identify individuals with backpacks and point them out to us. Even on an average day, over 400,000 people move through our system using 38 rail stations and thousands of bus stops, and we simply can’t monitor all of them using a live police officer. This AI on the other hand, allows us to greatly improve the degree of safety that we can offer at a much more manageable price. We’re planning on taking the system live within a year.”

department, our planning groups, our IT department, and everyone who runs our operations are all doing the things they’re supposed to do in order to ensure our digital security.”

New Buses "We are in the midst of our largest bus procurement ever. We will be purchasing upwards of 300 new vehicles, replacing half of our fleet. Five years ago, MARTA

had one of the oldest bus fleets in the entire country. We’ve replaced half of them over the past two years, and this next procurement will replace the remainder. So now we will have one of the newest fleets in the nation. They will all be compressed natural gas vehicles, state-of-theart in every way. Much quieter, more fuel efficient, more environmentally friendly, and just all around fantastic buses. There will be monitors throughout the vehicles

Cyber Security “Here at MARTA, we get hacking attempts up to 200,000 times per day. A large number of different groups are coming after us looking for vulnerabilities that they could exploit in order to get things like Social Security numbers of our employees so that they can file false tax returns or steal identities. And then there’s the more sinister side which, thankfully, we haven’t come across yet, but there are people out there who will try to infiltrate our networks and run trains into each other. So it’s everything from stealing personal data to people wanting to do actual physical harm. So we will actually be hiring a director of cyber security here shortly, and his or her job every day will be to wake up and make sure our police 52

Georgia Contractor

so that when you look up, you can see yourself in a video screen, which has been shown to dramatically decrease bad behavior.”

Way-Finding “Recently we introduced some new ‘way finding’ signage around Atlanta, that is, some signs around town that would point pedestrians in the direction of the nearest MARTA station. This isn’t exactly high-tech, but it happens to be extremely effective. People who aren’t from the city, for instance, will walk out of a building looking for the nearest bus or rail station and they will naturally look around. They might not take the time to download a transit app but they will naturally look around themselves for signs, which is why we’ve found this to be an extremely effective way of increasing ridership and improving customer experience. So first of all we would like to dramatically enhance user experience through these sorts of signs.”

Prices & Services “On the financial side, we are going yet another year without a fare increase. MARTA had gone through a three-year period where we raised fares more than any other transit system in the nation (over 40 percent) while simultaneously cutting services dramatically; we eliminated about 30 percent of all bus routes, increased wait times between trains, increased wait times between buses, and eliminated a number of restrooms. This year, however, our budget will introduce no fare increases (for the fifth year in a row) and it will introduce additional services. As I mentioned, we will be improving the bus system and making it a bit more pleasant and we’re opening more restrooms as well. In fact, the new restrooms will be some of the most high-tech in the nation, which also means that they require a lot less maintenance.” Cutting the Cost of Monthly Passes “Speaking of not increasing fares, we have actually been experimenting recently with dropping the rates on some June | July 2016

of our services. Back in December, we put MARTA passes on sale. The normal cost for a monthly MARTA pass is $95 (unlimited rides for the whole month) and we discounted them to $71. This resulted in an enormous spike in not only purchases, which was somewhat predictable, but also in ridership and in profit. That is, at the decreased rates, people were actually using MARTA more, and we became more profitable. So we’re going to try this again a few more times this year to see if this consistently yields the same results, and if it does, then we will look into a permanent rate decrease for monthly passes. We will not likely do the same thing for daily passes, but it looks like it could work very well with the monthly passes.”

at the rail stations, and a whole lot more. Overall we would be able to offer a much higher quality of service within the city of Atlanta.”

Partnering with Uber “Despite this new potential funding, we do recognize that it’s simply not financially feasible to physically expand everywhere, and so we have set our sights on innovative technological solutions rather than infrastructure, which we believe to be considerably more cost effective. One such example would be a potential collaboration with Lyft and Uber and other groups like that, about solving the problem of the first and last mile of connectivity. Our ultimate goal is something like the following: let’s say a customer is riding the MARTA rail, The American Public Transportation Association found in a recent study that the typical family of four with two

cars would save between $9,000 and $11,000 per year if only one of the

adults committed to using public tran-

sit. The typical family of four has two cars. Those cars, on average, sit un-

used 95 percent of the time.

New Tax & More Funding “Another thing I’d like to mention is the senate bill that recently passed, which allows MARTA to pursue an additional 1/2 cent of sales tax in the city of Atlanta. Assuming that we can work with the city council and they will go ahead with this decision, the city would put a referendum on the ballot this November that would increase the sales tax in the city of Atlanta by about 1/2 of a penny (which would generate about $2.5 Billion) and we would use these funds to dramatically expand transportation services within the city of Atlanta. We would potentially put light rail around the belt line area, lots of new bus services, lots of enhancements

headed to the Lindberg station, and from there they’re going to have to walk five blocks to their condo. When they are a few stops away from Lindberg, they can pull up their phone app, which is MARTA owned and operated, and notify several different transportation companies (Lyft, Uber, local taxis, etc.) of their ultimate destination. Those companies would then compete for their business, pick them up at the station as soon as they get off, and deliver them to the final destination. Then the app would handle the disbursement of funds.” Vision for the Future “People are moving back into the city who had left during the urban sprawl. 53

Many middle class and even lots of affluent people are moving back into places like Midtown, Peachtree Center Market, and all around Buckhead. These areas are experiencing an explosion of growth. New condos are being built, new stores and businesses too. Even some very high profile businesses are relocating their headquarters to Atlanta. Mercedes Benz, for instance, announced that they are moving from New Jersey down to Atlanta, and they said that one of the major reasons for this was to be in close proximity to MARTA. Other companies like NCR, Kaiser Permanente, and State Farm all moved thousands of jobs into Atlanta and they all name MARTA as a significant factor in their decision. These actions speak very loudly, and what we’re hearing is that these businesses don’t want their employees to be burdened with cars. These employees don’t want a 90 minute commute each way to work. v

Georgia Contractor

Affordable Care Act Traps for the Unwary (and not) Employer: Tips to Comply and What to Avoid By Douglas A. Smith | Arnall Golden Gregory LLP | Atlanta, Georgia

opefully, most employers that are applicable large employers (ALEs), i.e., employers that averaged 50 or more full-time employees (including full-time equivalents) in the prior calendar year, now have their game plan in place for complying with the ‘employer mandate’ of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Nevertheless, there still are ACA-related hoops and ladders to deal with that may catch the unwary (or even the wary) employer off-guard. This article briefly addresses several such obstacles, which seem to continue to develop and pop up on the ACA compliance landscape.

ACA Reporting for 2015

Employee and Hours Counting; Employee Classification

There are several general ‘catches’ that employers need to be aware of in counting and classifying employees for purposes of the ACA employer mandate, including the following: (1) In determining ALE status, have you properly taken into account employees of controlled group members and of entities under common control? (Focus generally is on 80 percent or more owned entities, with some specific tricky ownership attribution/exclusion rules that may apply.) (2)

Are you counting hours of service properly in the case of employees who are paid during periods in which no duties are

June | July 2016

Douglas Smith

performed, e.g., due to vacation, holiday, illness, disability, leave of absence, and military duty?

(3)

Are you properly classifying and measuring hours for ‘variable hour’ employees (i.e., employees for which it cannot be determined at their start date whether they will be full-time (30 or more hours/week)) and ‘seasonal employees’ (i.e., employees who customarily work for six months or less in approximately the same part of each year)?

(4)

Are you misclassifying workers who actually are common law employees as independent contractors? (Of course this issue has broader implications than just the ACA!)

Although the IRS extended the deadline for ACA information reporting and disclosure for ALEs for 2015, the extended deadlines basically now are upon us. The Internal Revenue Code requires annual information reporting and disclosure by an ALE as to the group health coverage that the employer offers, if any, to full-time employees, generally using an IRS Form 1095-C for each full-time employee (with a single transmittal Form 1094-C for the employer’s submission to the IRS). The IRS previously extended from February 1, 2016, to March 31, 2016, the deadline for furnishing the Form 1095-C disclosure to employees for 2015; and from February 29, 2016 to May 31, 2016, the deadline for paper filing, and from March 31, 2016 to June 30, 2016, the deadline for electronic filing, of the Forms 1095-C (with the Form 1094-C transmittal form) for 2015 with the IRS. ALEs that do not comply with the extended reporting and disclosure due dates are subject to potentially steep penalties: generally $250 for each affected (i) Form 1095-C disclosure to the employee and (ii) Form 1095-C filing with the IRS. The IRS has stated that for the 2015 reporting and disclosure, it will not impose applicable penalties on ALEs that show good faith efforts to comply with the ACA information and reporting requirements in furnishing and filing incorrect or incomplete infor55

mation. But such relief does not extend to a failure to timely furnish or file the applicable forms. Nevertheless, the $250 penalty for a late disclosure or filing is reduced to $50 in the case of a failure corrected within 30 days, and reduced to $100 in the case of a failure corrected after 30 days, but before August 1st. In addition, the IRS has the discretion to abate any such penalties with respect to a failure if the employer shows that such failure is due to reasonable cause. In this connection, the IRS will take into account whether an employer made reasonable efforts to prepare for the reporting and disclosure obligation, such as gathering and transmitting the necessary data to an agent to prepare for submission to the IRS, and the extent to which the employer is taking steps to ensure that it will be able to comply with the reporting and disclosure requirements for 2016. Some additional important things to remember about the ALE reporting and disclosure requirements: (1) If you qualify as an ALE, you must report and disclose even if you do not (a) sponsor a group health plan or (b) offer group health coverage to any employees. (2)

If you are an employer that averaged 50 to 99 full-time employees (including full-time equivalents) in 2014 and qualified for the medium-sized employer exception to offering group health plan coverage for 2015, you still qualify as an ALE and must report and disclose for 2015.

(3)

Although all corporate controlled group members and entities under common control (e.g., parent and controlled subsidiary companies) are combined to determine if a group of related

companies is an ALE, each such ALE member must do its own separate ACA filing and disclosures. Cash Incentives to Employees to Opt out of Coverage

To avoid any penalties under the ACA, an ALE generally must offer group health plan coverage to its full-time employees that is affordable and that provides minimum value. Coverage is affordable for 2016 if an employee is not required to pay more than 9.66 percent of his or her household income for self-only coverage. (The ACA also permits an employer to use ‘safe harbors,’ whereby the 9.66 percent threshold is determined based on the employee’s W-2 income or rate of pay, or the federal poverty line for a single individual.) If an employer unconditionally offers employees a cash amount to opt out of the employer’s coverage, the IRS recently has made it clear that it views such ‘opt-out payments’ as part of an employee’s cost of coverage under the employer’s plan. So, for example, if an employer provides that employees who elect self-only coverage contribute $200 per month, but also offers employees $100 per month if they instead opt out of coverage (unconditionally, with no other requirement, such as proof of coverage under a spouse’s employer), that $100 opt-out amount should be added to the $200 contribution amount, for a total of $300 in testing employee ‘affordability’ under the ACA. While the IRS’s position is now clear in this regard as to such unconditional opt-out payments, the IRS has said that until its issuance of prospective final regulations addressing the matter, the IRS will not require employers that adopted unconditional opt-out arrangements prior to December 17, 2015 to include available opt-out

amounts in the cost of coverage for purposes of determining affordability. Similarly, employers that offer conditional opt-out payments (e.g., only if employees provide proof of having other coverage, like through a spouse’s employer) are off the hook in this regard, at least until issuance of such final regulations. If an employer first adopts an unconditional opt-out arrangement after December 16, 2015, however, any such offered opt-out payment is required currently to be added to the cost of coverage in determining whether the employer’s coverage is affordable. Employer Payment Plans

As a result of the ACA, an employer cannot reimburse employees for the purchase by the employees of individual health insurance policy coverage (whether purchase is via the Health Insurance Marketplace or on the individual market), without subjecting the employer to steep excise taxes under the ACA ($100 per day for each affected individual, i.e., up to $36,500 per individual per year). This is the case regardless of whether the employer reimburses on a tax-free or on an after-tax basis, or whether the employer pays the employee’s individual insurance policy premiums directly or via reimbursement. The IRS views such ‘employer payment plans’ as group health plans that inevitably fail to satisfy certain ACA requirements applicable to group health plans and that therefore are subject to such excise taxes. As to whether there is any alternative arrangement that is permitted, an employer is permitted under the ACA to simply increase an employee’s taxable compensation without conditioning the payment of the additional compensation on the employee’s purchase of individual health insurance policy coverage, provided the employer does Georgia Contractor

not otherwise endorse any particular policy, form or issuer of health insurance. In this regard, the employer should clearly communicate and document that the employee may use the compensation increase for any purpose the employee so chooses. Beware of ERISA Section 510 Claims if you are Reducing Employees’ Hours

Section 510 of ERISA (i.e., the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) prohibits an employer from discharging, disciplining or discriminating against an employee benefit plan participant for the purpose of interfering with the attainment of any right that the participant may become entitled to under the plan. In a recent class action lawsuit

brought in federal court in New York (Marin v. Dave & Buster’s Inc., S.D.N.Y., No. 1:15-cv-036081), the plaintiffs—current and former employees of Dave & Buster’s (D&B)--brought a claim against D&B alleging discrimination in violation of Section 510 by reducing employees’ hourly work schedules as part of a company-wide effort to reduce costs under the ACA employer mandate, resulting in a loss of employee coverage under D&B’s health insurance plan. D&B moved to dismiss the complaint, but in a recent ruling, the court allowed the lawsuit to move forward, holding that the lead plaintiff had alleged sufficient facts (including at least two meetings held by store management with staff explaining that D&B

was reducing work schedules because of ACA cost to the company, and a public statement made by a senior executive that D&B was reducing its workforce to adapt to changes associated with the ACA) to show that D&B violated ERISA Section 510. While the court’s decision to allow the case to proceed certainly does not mean that the plaintiffs will prevail, it highlights a risk in reducing employees’ schedules solely to avoid or reduce group health coverage obligations under the ACA employer mandate. Employers should be aware of the latent risk in the strategy of cutting employees’ hours to reduce ACA costs, and also, in particular, should be careful as to communications regarding reductions in hours. v

New Grant and Scholarship Program to Bolster Skilled Trade Workforce

By Ben Hames | Deputy Commissioner | Georgia Department of Economic Development | Workforce Division

As we engage Georgia employers of all sizes to learn more about their existing and future workforce needs, we hear of widespread demand for educated and trained workers within the skilled trade sectors. Through our Go Build Georgia program, we aim to educate students about rewarding jobs in those sectors, specifically in manufacturing, telecommunications, construction, logistics, and energy. We are working to assist educators, counselors, and parents in guiding students through a career path that leads to a longstanding, well-paying career. We’ve successfully established partnerships with middle and high June | July 2016

Ben Hames

schools, the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), and industry partners throughout the state. Today, we are expanding that outreach and leveraging those partnerships by offering special activity grants and scholarships to schools and students in Georgia to help support skilled trade related education and training. The Go Build Georgia High Demand Career Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship, awarded to graduating high school seniors entering a TCSG institution in a field of study leading to a career in the skilled trades. These scholarships are being made available 57

through a partnership between Go Build Georgia, the Go Build Georgia Foundation and TCSG. The Go Build Georgia High Demand Career Scholarships can work in concert with the state’s Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grants (SIWDG) which cover full tuition in critical demand areas, as the scholarships can be used to cover requisite fees and materials. The new Go Build Georgia Grants will be awarded to middle and high schools for Go Build Georgiaaligned special activities. These grants, of up to $500 each, are designed to support skilled trade related education and opportunities early in

the student’s career, building awareness and interest in these targeted industries among young Georgians. Go Build Georgia grants are being made available through a partnership between Go Build Georgia, the Go Build Georgia Foundation, and the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education Division (CTAE) of the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE). Grants will be awarded to applying middle and high schools throughout the year. Our goal is not only to supply Georgia employers with a skilled workforce to support business growth, but to also anticipate and respond to trends,

shifts and shortages within the workforce system. Historically, the skilled trade industry has faced the challenge of an aging workforce, and as Georgia continues to serve as a leader in manufacturing and logistics, we aim to support and bolster the workforce with young talent. By strengthening our workforce, these scholarships and grants will support economic development and help ensure that Georgia remains the number one state in the nation for business. Learn more about the Go Build Georgia High Demand Career Scholarship and the Go Build Georgia Grant by visiting www.gobuildgeorgia.com.v

Historical buildings—from those on the local Main Street to world-renowned structures—could be brought from the past into an energy reduced future under a proposed guideline from ASHRAE. ASHRAE Guideline 34P, Energy Guideline for Historical Buildings, provides advice for energy efficiency and energy conservation improvements involving historic structures. These improvements would seek to minimize disturbances to the historic character, characteristics, and materials (significance, value, and qualities). The proposed standard is open for a second public comment until May 2, 2016. To comment or learn more, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews. “The worldwide preservation community recognizes the importance of reducing the consumption of fuels,” William Rose, a member of the Guide-

line 34P committee, said. “Many codes and standards exempt such buildings from energy conservation requirements, based on an assumption that imposition of energy-saving measures may compete with preservation requirements. Nevertheless, preservationists generally wish to balance the mandate to maintain the integrity and authenticity of their buildings with growing needs for energy conservation. And some codes, notably the recent International Energy Conservation Code, have moved from a blanket exemption to a narrower provision-by-provision basis.” Guideline 34P, which offers assistance for the range of historic buildings, will help those engaged in preservation to design and provide energy conservation measures. Rose said it also will help those engaged in energy conservation to propose and adopt measures consistent with preservation practice. The guideline addresses planning and operation,

mechanical systems, building envelopes, and lighting. The guideline was the idea of Presidential Member Tom Watson for whom historical buildings are a pet project. “We just can’t give up on using historic buildings,” he said. “They are too valuable and leave too large an environmental footprint to be neglected or abandoned.” ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human wellbeing through sustainable technology for the built environment. The society and its more than 55,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration, and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification, and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news. v

An Efficient Future for Buildings of the Past Proposed Under ASHRAE Guideline

Georgia Contractor

June | July 2016

Georgia Contractor