Fiscal year 1994 annual report, July 1, 1993 - June 30, 1994 [1994]

b-1-\
T700

In Memoriam
Boyd Rodney Smith
On April 22, 1994, Rod Smith died as the result of a tragic on-the-job accident. The vehicle in which he and co-worker Jerry Wall were traveling was hit by a tractor-trailer on U.S. 129 in Gainesville.
A career DOT employee since 1971, he became one of the DOT's foremost wildflower experts and inspired others to share his vision for roadside beautification.

page 4

For Whom the Road Tolls

.................
Flood Waters Engulf State
p(ige 18 , ,,

page 12
.............. .
Wildflowers Adorn Roadside

...................
Ma.kingPlansfQr the Future
p~ge 24 ,

........... . Division Updates

page 44

District Updates

..................
Financial and Organizational Information

page 60

2

Commissioner Wayne Shackelford
Fellow Georgians Fiscal Year 1994 marked a period of great progress and
promise. Numerous projects were completed while plans were formulated for advancing Georgia's transportation system into the next century.
I feel a deep sense of appreciation for every member of the Georgia DOT team. This year of outstanding teamwork has enabled us to meet our goal of providing Georgia with the most efficient transportation system possible.
Wayne Shackelford Commissioner
3

For Whom the Road Tolls

With a 500-foot tunnel underneath the 18-story Atlanta Financial Center, the Georgia 400 Extension is one ofonly a few highways in the nation constructed under an existing office high-rise.

T he Georgia 400 Extension was a project marked by some of the most intense public scrutiny and media attention ever experienced by the Georgia DOT. For decades, the fate of this highway remained uncertain as neighborhood groups located along the proposed corridor waged a high-profile legal battle to block the road's construction.
The completion of the Georgia 400 Extension in the summer of 1993 represented a tangible resolution to this dispute while presenting Metro Atlanta with a much-needed transportation corridor between 1-285 and 1-85.
Opening Day a Media Event
On a warm Sunday morning the first day of August, state and local dignitaries gathered with hundreds of citizens at the Georgia 400 Toll Plaza for a grand-opening ceremony. There to document the event was a small army of reporters from area television stations, radio stations and print outlets.

A fleet of television and radio traffic helicopters hovered above while reporters scurried around below. Immediately following the ceremonial ribbon cutting, thousands of eager motorists tried out the new highway linking Georgia 400 from its previous terminus at 1-285 southward to 1-85.
Cars had been lined up at the highway's entrance ramps for almost two hours prior to the official opening, full of people eager to make history. By 11 p.m., nearly 24,000 vehicles had passed through the toll booths.
During the inaugural morning and afternoon rush hours the next day, thousands more motorists began making good use of the Georgia 400 Extension for their daily commutes. On hand again were the traffic helicopters and swarms of reporters relentlessly pursuing the latest information about Metropolitan Atlanta's newest highway. The opening of the Georgia 400 Extension was one of Atlanta's hottest news stories that summer.

4

Excitement Builds Before Opening
Metro Atlanta's need for the Georgia 400 Extension increased dramatically following the proposal for the road in the early 1950s. The region's population was booming and existing roads were becoming filled with more and more traffic. The 6.25-mile, six-lane Georgia 400 Extension would serve as a welcome gateway between downtown and the northern metropolitan area. It would promote the economic health of the entire Metropolitan Atlanta region. After
decades of debate, construction finally began in
November 1989 on the first Georgia 400 Extension project - a bridge to carry Peachtree Road over the Extension.
As soon as construction began, the road sailed toward completion. In the months prior to the road's opening, the DOT actively promoted the road's benefits through a series of noteworthy events. A press conference on June 3, 1993 marked the first of these events. Television, radio and newspaper reporters from throughout Metropolitan Atlanta came to the press conference, eager to learn more about the new road. Top DOT personnel provided the media with a comprehensive preview of the new road and the technologically advanced toll road facility.
After the press conference and an extensive question-and-answer session, the DOT hosted a media tour of the toll facility and the new road, still an active construction site at that time. Media representatives got an up-close look at the facility's toll building, underground tunnel and computer-operated toll collection equipment.
Two weeks later, thousands more people got a first-hand look at the new

road. On June 19, 1993 approximately 12,000 people participated in the "Georgia 400 Road Race," a one-time opportunity for Atlantans to run and walk on the actual tollway. This event brought together communities, schools, athletes and businesses who all had been a part of the development of the Georgia 400 Extension. It was sponsored by Atlanta Sports & Fitness magazine and the Buckhead Business Association. The DOT author-
ized the race and managed the logistics of the race's course along the roadway. The

four-mile run, which began at the Glenridge Connector interchange, and the two-mile walk, which began at the Toll Plaza, ended with a festive post-race celebration at Phipps Plaza. DOT officials were on hand to distribute informational brochures and to answer questions about the new road. So popular was the 1993 Georgia 400 Road Race that it was held again the next June, routed on streets near Georgia 400 instead of on the actual highway.
The final two events leading up to the August 1, 1993 grand opening of the Georgia 400 Extension involved the DOT's introduction of Automatic Vehicle

5

6

Identification (AVD technology. An
AVI device known as the Georgia Cruise Card could be used by motorists at the Georgia 400 Toll Plaza to automatically pay the road's toll without having to stop. The Georgia Cruise Card would be issued by the State Tollway Authority (STA) at the Georgia Cruise Card Center, a facility established in the heart of the

Buckhead business community to best serve those most likely to use the new highway.
Prior to the official opening of the Cruise Card Center, the DOT hosted an open house at the center June 28-29, 1993 for business and community organization representatives. Inquisitive citizens and business representatives stopped

by the center throu~hout the two-day open house where they became acquainted with the benefits of the Georgia Cruise Card and were briefed one-on-one about how to acquire it.
On July 1, 1993 top DOT officials opened the Georgia Cruise Card Center for business amid television news crews and newspaper reporters. As soon as the doors were opened to the public, people streamed in to apply for their Georgia Cruise Cards. Within one month of the Cruise Card Center's opening, 1,928 Cruise Cards were issued to the public. By the end of the fiscal year, 22,600 Cruise Card applications had been processed, bringing the total number of Cruise Cards in use to 40,000. Highway Travel Goes High-Tech
The public's embrace of AVI technology was testament to the DOT' s success in tackling the many challenges associated with the debut of the Georgia 400 Extension. This highway was unique in that the Georgia 400 Toll Plaza

Cars cruise through the Georgia 400 Toll Plaza. It features one of the most advanced computer-integrated toll collection facilities in the nation.
7

8

would be among the most advanced computer-integrated toll collection facilities in the nation. Additionally, the Georgia 400 Extension would open as the only toll road in Atlanta. The state's only other toll facility is located at the F.J. Torras Causeway in Brunswick. Commuters in Metropolitan Atlanta, therefore, not only had to grow accustomed to the availability of a new route, they also had to become acquainted with the concept of paying a toll. The Georgia Cruise Card made toll payment as convenient as technologically possible. Once mounted on a vehicle's inside front windshield, the Georgia Cruise Card reflects a signal which is read by Toll Plaza sensors. The toll then is automatically debited
from the motorist's pre-established account with STA. It takes no more than a quarter of a second for the system to scan the card. The toll was established at 50 cents for two-axle vehicles; $1.50 for three-axle vehicles; and $1.50 plus $.50 per axle for vehicles having more than three axles. A computer-integrated system at the toll plaza can automatically confirm a vehicle's number of axles.
Located midway between the Glenridge Connector and the Buckhead Loop, the $10.5 million Georgia 400 Toll Plaza presents a pleasing blend of aesthetic and functional qualities. A beautifully landscaped red brick building on the northbound side of the highway houses toll-collection computer equipment as well as office space and an emergency natural-gas generator. A tunnel underneath the entire width of the highway at the toll plaza provides toll collectors with safe access to the toll collection booths.
The highway expands to a total of 18 lanes at the toll plaza with nine north-

bound and nine southbound lanes. Vehicles equipped with Georgia Cruise Cards can access any of these lanes. But two northbound and two southbound lanes are designed exclusively for use by Georgia Cruise Card users. Motorists without Georgia Cruise Cards may deposit correct change in an automatic coin machine or pay a toll plaza attendant.
The task of monitoring traffic as well as security at the toll plaza is facilitated by
the presence of 65 strategically located surveillance cameras.
These cameras record the vehicle tag number of any person who neglects to pay the required toll. STA then mails a notice to the registered owner of the vehicle requiring payment of the toll plus an administrative fee. If this notice and the unpaid toll are ignored, STA issues a citation and the City of Atlanta may levy additional fines.
Commuters Hit the Road
Motorists quickly adapted to Metro-
Opening day featured Governor Zell Miller and Commissioner Shackelford, l-r, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

9

Toll collectors at the Georgia 400 Toll Plaza are employed by a private contractor which is supervised by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

politan Atlanta's new high-tech tollway. Within 19 days of the official opening, traffic volume reached 60,000 vehicles per day passing through the toll booths - the daily volume necessary to meet the Extension's funding obligations. The State Tollway Authority had sold $96 million in 20-year bonds to help fund the $270 million project. A federal pilot project, the Georgia 400 Extension was the first highway in the United States ever constructed using the combination of federal funds, state funds as well as guaranteed revenue bonds.
During Fiscal Year 1994, an average of 74,909 vehicles per day passed through the toll booths on the popular new artery. With ever-increasing traffic volumes on the Georgia 400 Extension throughout the fiscal year, the need for the road was validated.

This 6.25-mile highway had opened a desperately needed transportation corridor in the northern metropolitan area while easing traffic volume on crowded portions of area interstates and major secondary streets. After innumerable hours of study, negotiation, planning and design, the completed project immediately proved to be a success.
"I've been waiting for this road to open for 21 years ..." said Mike Weinroth of Sandy Springs - the road's first official paying customer. He and his wife celebrated his 48th birthday on August 1 by cruising down the Extension.
Others affirmed Weinroth's zeal with positive reviews.
"It's a gorgeous road, very smooth," said Peg Leiphart of Dunwoody, another one of the first motorists to try out the new road.

10

Thousands
80
60

Georgia 400 Daily Average Traffic for week ending Aug. 8, 1993 through June 26, 1994

40

20
o.___ _....__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~
8/8/93 9/5/93 10/3/93 11 /7/93 12/5/93 1/2/94 2/6/94 3/6/94 4/3/94 5/1 /94 6/5/94 week

Thousands
8

Georgia Cruise Cards Licensed July 1, 1993 - June 30, 1994

7

6

5

4 3 2

1

0 July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov.

Dec. Jan.

Feb. March April

May June month

"It's wonderful. I'm very pleased," said Dr. Leslie DouglasChurchwell of Atlanta in an Atlanta Constitution article about the Extension's first rush hour. "They should have built it [the Extension] sooner."
"We took a ride on the tollway the other day and were astonished at the convenience and comfort it offers," according to

an August 6, 1993 Atlanta Journal editorial. People not only had adapted to the highway's high-tech features, they also had welcomed the opening of the road with unbridled enthusiasm. The positive impact provided by the Georgia 400 Extension promises to be felt for years to come as Metropolitan Atlanta continues to
prosper.

11

Flood Waters Engulf State

Unprecedented flooding rendered substantial damage to Georgia highways. State Route 118 over Muckalee Creek in Lee County, shown above, lies in utter ruin.

W hat started as an Independence Day inconvenience became a disaster of seemingly biblical proportions in the summer of 1994 when the previously mild-mannered Tropical Storm Alberto paid an extended visit to Georgia and dumped over 20 inches of rain in a 24-hour period on some Georgia cities.
Many Georgians may have taken transportation needs for granted in the southern half of the state before this catastrophe where road interruptions were rare and isolated. But when the storm took its destructive whirlwind tour of the Peach State, it left enough water to submerge Bainbridge and separate one

half of Albany from the other. The town of Montezuma was a subterranean wasteland. Fort Valley and Americus became islands, and Macon was completely cut off when the Flint and Ocmulgee Rivers unfurled huge curtains of muddy water. The flat South Georgia landscape served as a basin for flood waters that crested at record-high levels, causing about 22,000 residents to become homeless.
This transportation nightmare not only shut down 1-75, one of Georgia's major corridors and a north-south route for the eastern side of the nation, but also left local residents cut off from food and medical supplies. For weeks people lived like refugees, car-

12

rying what they were able to salvage from their homes in plastic bags and sleeping in crowded shelters on cots and worn quilts.

took 15 li

businesse

region. Residents,

workers a

te travelers planning

to pass thro

gia via I-75 had to

take an epic 235-mile odyssey around the

submerged portions of this interstate.

Transportation System Hard-Hit

The disaster crippled South Georgia's
\
transportation system at the pe of the tourist season, when hundreds sands of vehicles travel each d Georgia on 1-75. The tempor pass was an inadequate but ne stitute for 1-75 with traffic back-up stretching for miles outside Dublin and other South Georgia towns. Rampant

flood waters interrupted use of about 295 state highways 42 bridges and hundreds of local roads.

Northbou Macon were State Road 2 power generati

assable. From e Blackshear ndment, to

Bainbridge, 75 miles to the southwest, the only way to cross the suddenly dangerous Flint River was by boat or helicopter. An

Shown during and after the flood is a section ofState Route 118 east of Smithville. After the water receded, DOT crews soon had this road up and running again.

attempt to lessen the severity of the flood

by opening Lake Blackshear's floodgates

proved useless. e raging downpour had

enough volume to 1the 8,700-acre lake

in six hours even

en completely

drained.

bled into Lee

road travel impossible in some locations. In Dougherty County, the deluge washed away public roads and bridges like toys, causing millions of dollars of damage. Al-

bany State College was sively along with about

two Georgia Power pla

flood waters left the gr ducing sinkholes that swal o of roads and entire houses.

Furthe south, in Newton, the flood de-

stroyed the e downtown business

district, inc

hall, courthouse

buildings

omes. Roads and

bridges w

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rusty guardrails or mound~ of mud and
1
asphalt.

Numerous railroad bri

tracks and yards were d

or

routes south of Atlanta. R

dations were washed out all

southwestern portion of the state. The

rail switching yard in Albany was sub-

merged. The Albany airport was a vir-

tual island. Although no service was

suspended, access to the airport was lim-

ited by the flooding. Travelers corning in

from the north had to take a five-mile de-

tour around the airport to get in, and some

airport employees had to drive for two

hour to get home. A newly built air-

filled nage improvement system liter-

ally s

south runway and enabled

in full service. The air-

s particularly important

land the National

Guard, whose helicopters roared through

the air non-stop for weeks, making frequent stops at the airport for fuel.

DOT Springs into Action

The Department charged ahead im-

mediately with flood-relief efforts, mobi-

lizing more than 2,000 personnel from all

DOT districts. Crews worked around the

clock in 12-tD-18 hour shifts, sometimes

staying on the

13 days. Hun

loyees from

districts One,

x and Seven

the recovery

effort.

The Operations Division utilized over 2,000 pieces of heavy and light equipment - much of it loaned from other districts - to clean up debris and restore safety. Highways and roads in the affected area were peppered with various types of barricades and hundreds of signs designed to protect travelers from floodinduced hazards.

Repair work began on July 8 as coop-
erat1.ve pn.vat\
other business equipment to road slabs. T base material a shoulders. Crews paved all day and all night to get 1-75 back into service.

Just when the crews thought the task was behind them, the drying soil beneath the pavement settled, causing the road to
\
crack 1 in. This phenomenon echoed a

od: "Never say it can't e interstate opened to l bridges were opened

State Route 127 was hit hard in Houston County at Mossy Creek, top photo. Crews place riprap and backfill after removal of the failed approach slab. This road was opened as an I-75 detour. In nearby Bibb County,facing page, I-16 is submerged in downtown Macon.

By the middle of the first week of the

Commissioner Shackelfo

der authorizing emergenc

with contractors. This pr

nated the time required to

let

projects by competitive bi

ingly, many emergency projects were

authorized by verbal agreement only.

14

FLOOD FACTS

Flood waters took a bite out of U.S. 19 at Angelica Creek.

DOT Recovery Team Involves All
The DOT Operations Division accelerated damage assessment, safety control and detour management. The Division also coordinated manpower and materials to facilitate repair efforts when the waters eventually receded.
Personnel from all divisions fielded calls 24 hours a day for ten days at the Emergency Operations Center located at the Georgia Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Atlanta.
DOT District personnel also provided a 24-hour-a-day phone service locally for

ten days giving travel directions to motorists.
Bridge designers swiftly expedited the inspection of over 2,100 bridges, often using dive teams to survey the damage. Raging flood waters severely tested many bridges, which were designed in most cases to allow a 50-year event to pass underneath and to withstand a 100-year event even if water covered the bridge.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, an organization which measures and classifies floods, the 1994 flood was greater than a 100-year event. Some ex-

perts even categorized this natural disaster as a 500-year flood.
Although the DOT continually monitors bridges for the effects of scouring, or erosion to the bridges' foundation, the gigantic forces unleashed in the flood caused unique and dramatically different problems. Massive turbulence widened some waterways, forcing the Department to lengthen approach slabs when they were rebuilt.
Retirees who originally designed bridges in South Georgia were enlisted by the DOT to help determine the extent of

16

afternoon. At least arded totaling $48 milct totals could exceed

ure the Macon area to prey also delivered bottled
water to authorities had to t off water service to a half-million people.
The flood and its effects will be forever etched on the memories of Georgia

residents and DOT employees throughout the state. Highway devastation underscored the importance of constantly maintaining and improving surface transportation and also highlighted the Department's ability to respond swiftly and efficiently in times of crisis.
Alberto's aftermath reminded citizens of South Georgia that survival is dependent on the accessibility of the transportation system.
DOT employees in every Division and District were mobilized to breathe life back into Georgia's highways and bridges. The work performed following the flood was monumental.
The hours and projects that went into restoring our transportation system are a testament to the dedication and commitment of the Georgia DOT.

eragency Effort On Tuesday, July 12, Georgia Public Television broadcast a two-hour special report with Commissioner Shackelford, GEMA Director Gary McConnell and Governor Miller,which highlighted interagency cooperation throughout the flood. According to the report, the Department of Corrections produced signs for road closures and detours 24 hours a day. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) made barricades, provided bulldozers, operators and chainsaw crews. The DNR also approved burn sites and identified dangerous materials such as asbestos to determine whether they could be removed from damaged buildings. The Georgia State Patrol and the National Guard provided flight service so DOT officials could assess the havoc from the air. Commissioner Shackelford and Director of Operations Steve Parks met with President Clinton on July 13 and surveyed the damage from a helicopter. The President traveled in a motorcade to the disaster center where the region's newly homeless
17

Wildflowers Adorn Roadside

T he drive along Georgia's highways and interstates seems to become more beautiful each year, thanks to landscaping efforts made possible by the DOT and the Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. Having combined forces to establish the nationally acclaimed Georgia Highway Wildflower Program, the DOT and the Garden Club have developed roadside tracts of color for Georgia residents and visitors to enjoy. Although the brilliant hues which emanate from native wildflowers are particularly beautiful in the spring and summer months, the Wildflower Program requires hard work and dedication from both entities year-round.
20 Years Strong and Counting
Fiscal Year 1994 marked the 20th anniversary of the DOT's union with the Garden Club of Georgia in creating the Wildflower Program. In 1974, then-first lady of Georgia Rosalyn Carter traveled to Texas to confer with former President

The above scene of roadside wildflowers features the tall lanceleaf coreopsis, the shorter California poppy and some catchfly in the background.

Lyndon B. Johnson's wife, Lady Bird, about the Texas Wildflower Program. Mrs. Carter sought the advice of Mrs. Johnson because the Texas program was one of the first wildflower programs in the nation to meet with widespread success. Mrs. Johnson began growing wildflowers

upon her return to the LBJ Ranch after her husband's presidency. She immensely enjoyed the beauty of the wildflowers and wanted to spread her enthusiasm throughout Texas. Mrs. Johnson devised a plan which encouraged the Texas Highway Department to plant and maintain wildflowers

18

along state highways. In 1970, Mrs. Johnson established the Lady Bird Johnson Award to recognize the out-

standing achievements in roadside beautification by the Highway Department's maintenance foremen. Inspired by Mrs. Johnson's suc-

cesses, Mrs. Carter returned to Georgia to begin the state's enhancement and beautification program.

Since the program's inception, the DOT has worked closely with the

Garden Club of Georgia to enhance

over 10,000 miles of Georgia highways with trees, shrubs and native

wildflowers. When the program began, there were only six DOT dis-

tricts in Georgia. Consequently, only six DOT foremen initially participated in the project. As of Fiscal Year '94, however, 38 DOT person-

Motorists are treated to a dazzling array of roadside wildflowers along I-20 in East Georgia.

nel had become involved with the program in the seven DOT districts which currently exist.
The widespread popularity of the program has caused the number of employees associated with the project to grow accordingly. DOT foremen and crews are charged with responsibilities such as selecting sites, planting seeds and bulbs and performing routine maintenance duties.

PROJECT DATA

If any re-seeding occurs, it is usually done during the winter months. The wildflower tracts are typically low-maintenance once they have been planted. In June, DOT maintenance crews use chemicals to control unwanted vegetation. During the remaining months, crews regularly pick weeds out of the plots by hand.

The primary objective of the program is an aesthetic one: making Georgia's highways more pleasing to the eyes of residents and visitors alike. Tracts with wildflowers re-

The seed mix is a special blend of seeds native to the Georgia area and it is formulated by a contractor from the Georgia Experiment Station in Griffin. The contractor

quire little maintenance during growing season because they only need to be mowe_d around the edges. Thus, labor expenses and the costs of operating maintenance equipment are kept at a minimum, providing further evidence of the savings to the taxpayers. How Does the Garden Grow?

makes recommendations to DOT planting teams regarding which wildflowers will be most suitable for specific sites. These recommendations are based on factors such as topography, soil types and area climates. The seed mix itself is referred to as a "southeastern seed mix" and it is available commercially.

The planting season for wildflowers occurs between October and February each year. Every DOT district has planting crews comprised of one foreman and four support personnel. After an appropriate site has been determined by the DOT and the Garden Club of Georgia the planting crew prepares the tract by tilling the soil, seeding the area with a specially prepared seed mix and then mulching the area with existing dead grasses or with wheat straw.

This seed mix yields a cornucopia of color. Some of the more prominent wildflowers grown in the state through the Highway Wildflower Program include: Crimson Clover, which are red; Oxeye Daisies, which are white; coreopsis, which are yellow; Blackeyed Susans, which are also yellow; and verbenna, which are purple.
Although the Georgia Highway Wildflower Program is pri-

19

DOTplanting crews prepare a roadside wildflower tract by mulching a freshly seeded area with wheat straw.

marily limited to state highways and interstates, one would never assume that was the case when driving through some small communities throughout Georgia, where wildflower fever has set in with many enthusiasts. Many residents have come together with private enterprise and other entities to form "wildflower coalitions" which raise money to pur-

chase wildflower seeds. After the coalitions purchase the seeds, they turn the seeds over to the DOT to be planted and maintained. Communities such as Ellijay, Canton, Gainesville, Milledgeville and Greensboro have formed coalitions that promote wildflowers in their areas. For instance, enthusiasm for wildflower propagation was so signifi-

cant in Dublin that approximately 34 acres of roadsides and medians have been set aside for that specific purpose. These coalitions which have formed throughout the state are unique because they operate solely on private funding, receiving no government assistance whatsoever. A Work in Progress
The DOT continues to search out new plots on which to grow wildflowers, while working to ensure preservation of existing wildflower plots. In some cases, the DOT is fortunate to receive corporate sponsorships or other private donations and contributions for wildflower plots.
In these instances, the DOT makes a concerted effort to plant the wildflower seeds on a visible area near the sponsor's physical site. Otherwise, the DOT works in conjunction with the Garden Club of Georgia to determine proper roadside locations for wildflower seed placement.
It is also interesting to note that the DOT promotes its Wildflower Program through every landscape design contract it awards. All design projects are let by contract with the stipulation that a minimum of one quarter of one percent of all landscaping to be done by individual contractors be dedicated to wildflower propagation.
Essentially, the DOT has established its own mandate for wildflower development throughout the state by requiring all independent contractors to honor the wildflower stipulation in their contracts.
Thanks to the efforts of DOT maintenance foremen and the enthusiastic volunteers from the Garden Club of Georgia, the Georgia Highway Wildflower Program has become extraordinarily successful over the course of its 20-year history. Both groups hope to see the program continue to flourish in the years to come.

20

Roadsides come alive with color in the springtime when wildflowers such as the com poppies burst into bloom.

Wildflower Program Rooted in Gar~e~ E~thU~~~-~

For more than 20 years, the Garden Club of Georgia has
sponsored an annual luncheon and awards ceremony to honor
the accomplishments of DOT foremen and crews who have contribut gram. Ca presented late Mrs. V

RighwayWiJdflower Program.. ~tl~became.in: aVid.s4p;orter.....
iot:. of tlte program,.oderfng.tosupply th~J~ndsDeCeS$&!Y
thecash awards,wblcti~.re pres!nlecl.a~n . 'r,oj~ciin:.

Callaway Her hobby ers. Upon
sisted upon having a garderi path devotedsolelytowildflowers
- hence The Wildflower Trail. That trail still exists .today at Callaway Gardens.
The lifelong enthusiasm that Mrs. Callaway had for landscaping and wildflower propagation carried over info the DOT's

The Gardenc1Jilof Geqrgi~

$40:000 in trJining worksnops.fot DOT; Higtiway MainJellarice~.

Fore[lien, cashaw~rdi;to.districf..winner$ and.the..,;,ircls': .

luncheons whiclf recognize Highway Wildflower Proglarfo.:.. ;

~

~ -

~

participants. :;

21

Making Plans for the Future

A t the Georgia DOT, we're not resting on our laurels. Fading are the days when past achievements are paradigms routinely used to shape the future. Waning is the endless loop of rubber-stamped approvals. And, thank.fully, disappearing is the expression, "We've always done it this way."
Lovers of the status quo should note that as a result of one particular achievement during Fiscal Year 1994, the Georgia DOT won't be standing still. That achievement is known as strategic planning, a process through which the DOT turns the spotlight on itself and queries, "How can we be even better?" During the course of Fiscal Year 1994, the DOT initiated its strategic planning process and in doing so embarked on an important - and far-reaching - mission that is certain to improve the way the agency conducts its business both internally and externally. Dawning of a New Concept
Exactly what is strategic planning? Strategic planning is the process by which the guiding members of an organization envision its future and develop the procedures and operations necessary to achieve that future. In other words, "Where do we want to go and how do we get there?" It's this focus on the future which underlines more than anything else the importance of strategic planning.
Strategic planning, recognizing that past achievements and procedures remain fixed, holds the promise of a better future by enabling us to carefully map out where we want to go and the strategy for achieving that desired end. A detailed

Commissioner Shackelford leads a strategic planning session for upper-level DOT management.

plan for the future is especially important in times of increasing workload and decreasing budgets.
An outgrowth of legislation enacted during the 1993 session of the Georgia General Assembly, the DOT's strategic planning effort began in the fall of that year when the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) delivered a thought-provoking presentation about the strategic planning process to DOT management. As the central planning entity for all of state government, OPB was charged with assisting strategic planning activities among the various state agencies.
The concept of strategic planning and its obvious long-term benefits were immediately embraced by DOT manage-

ment. With that go-ahead, the DOT's Planning and Programming Division, with guidance from DOT Commissioner Wayne Shackelford, began to formulate the steps through which strategic planning would be implemented at the Department.
The Process Begins
Strategic planning at the Georgia DOT began full throttle in April 1994 with the establishment of three teams which would shape the DOT's strategic planning effort. The three teams included: the Commissioner and top management; other managers from across the Department; and the 11 members of the State Transportation Board. These three groups worked both independently and collectively to lay the foundation upon

22

which the strategic planning process

would be based.
/ ~7>\'\
After a series of worksho]:qs,';,,,Tea~s A

and B - as they were caj],ed _ \ \'- . 1

Transportation

Board

/"f"/

~/m\ ~, . .,

four critical items as p

planning agenda. T

visions for th

draft

n

i/

~
is~

'"' gic direct10

year. The

1) Funding

keting; 3)

DOT Districts. The teams included, in most cases, between ten and 20 team members and a team leader who was se-

Cos
ni~ nual~ Manage
ti.on sy~\te
me~t1~o
/ume ,translated other

ons were: 1) ReRecoup n; 4) Commuent; 5) An-
) Informanviron-

employee into the strategic planning process. DOT management recognized that some of the best ideas come from the employees of the Department.
It was at this point that Commissioner Shackelford decided to conduct a departmental roll-out of the strategic planning process for all 6,000-plus DOT employees. Ten roll-out sessions were planned for Fiscal Year 1995 to be held at various sites across the state. At these sessions, all employees would be asked for their input on the beliefs, vision, mission and strategic directions. As the fiscal year ended, the roll-out sessions were planned to replace the annual district meetings. Strategic Directions Are Set
Before Fiscal Year 1994 drew to a close, two more pivotal pieces of the strategic planning puzzle fell into place. The Strategic Planning Teams originated 11 multi-disciplined teams to pursue the seven strategic directions. These teams were made up of DOT employees spanning many levels in various offices and

ree teams - Communication/Outreach Management, Annual Report and Speakers Bureau.
With the 11 strategic planning teams selected and team leaders chosen, the last item to take place in fiscal 1994 was
Strategic planning is the process by which the guiding members of an organization envision its future and develop the procedures and operations necessary to achieve that future.

team-leader training. In an intensive
two-day training session, team leaders learned through lectures and roleplaying how to serve as effective meeting facilitators, how to solve problems, how to answer questions and, most importantly, how to listen. The distinct goal of team-leader training was to provide for a sense of openness and communication that would later transfer to the meetings held by each of the 11 strategic planning teams.
Though the Department of Transportation began the strategic planning journey in Fiscal 1994, it is a journey just begun. And just like any new endeavor, the full impact of strategic planning won't be known for years.
What is known is that the DOT has accepted the challenge to be an even more efficient, more productive, more responsive agency. That challenge will manifest itself more and more as employees shift their focus from what they did today, to what they'll be doing to-
morrow.

23

Planning and Programming Division

ess for the DOT. Major strides also were taken in the development of other projects by Statewide Planning, Urban Area Planning and Planning Data Services.
The Inter-regional Planning Bureau in Statewide Planning conducted ten major planning studies in Fiscal Year 1994 including bypass studies for the cities of Cairo, Barnesville and Vienna. The information gained from these studies will be used in developing multimodal transportation plans and in establishing priorities for expenditures. In preparation for updating the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), meetings were held with city and county officials in approximately 135 counties to solicit recommendations for the Fiscal Year

1995 STIP. Urban Planning tackled several new Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) legislation initiatives during Fiscal Year 1994 including the continued development of Transportation Enhancement Activity project management functions.
The Urban Planning Branch also took the lead in developing the Congestion Management System (CMS) plan, an effort which involved the coordination of three bi-state agreements and extensive work with Georgia's Transportation Management Areas. The CMS must be implemented fully on a statewide basis by October 1, 1996 and should prove to be a valuable tool in the metropolitan planning process.

Through the careful collection and analysis of voluminous data, the Planning and Programming Division continued to chart the course which will lead the Department into the next century. Included in this Division are the offices of Planning, Programming and Intermodal Programs. Planning
The Office of Planning maintained an intense level of activity throughout Fiscal Year 1994. The Strategic Planning Branch began preparations for the first cycle of a formal strategic planning proc-

One of ten major planning studies in Fiscal Year 1994 included a bypass study for the city ofBarnesville in Middle Georgia..

24

Under the guidance of ISTEA regulations in Urban Planning's Atlanta Planning Branch, the state's first Major Investment Study was begun - a study of U.S. 78 between Atlanta and Snellville expected to be completed in 1995. This study, conducted in cooperation with the Atlanta Regional Commission, will investigate the feasibility of various improvements for the corridor including the use of transportation modes besides singleoccupant vehicles. Urban Planning's Atlanta Planning Branch also made progress toward developing contracts for the implementation of 13 Transportation Enhancement Projects in the Atlanta area. Especially noteworthy was the progress made on an Olympics enhancement project at the Atlanta University Center.
During Fiscal Year 1994, the Planning Data Services Bureau continued to meet its traditional data collection, processing and reporting requirements while integrating new technologies into routine responsibilities. To improve the accuracy and timeliness of information used to update city/county maps, the Systems Inventory and Data Reporting branch began field testing the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment to capture roadway centerlines. GPS captures data transmitted via satellite to mobile vans. The system proved to be highly accurate and cost effective. The Transportation Data Collection Branch continued to upgrade its equipment to improve the accuracy and completeness of data collected. Six continuous Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) sites were retrofitted with new counting devices and 16 new ATR collection sites were installed.
The Mapping and Graphics Branch continued its work editing the digitized city and county maps. Editing ensures that the maps agree with the Road Characteristics File so that Geographic Information

The Port of Savannah became more accessible for large ships during the fiscal year with the completion of a harbor-deepening project.

System applications can use Department data. In cooperation with other DOT offices, prototype applications in the areas of pavement management and project status also were developed.
After a significant development and coordination effort, the Systems and Classification Branch submitted the proposed National Highway System to FHWA. A statewide study of one-way and dual state

route designations was initiated to improve directional signage for the traveling public. Programming
During Fiscal Year 1994, the Office of Programming achieved its main goal of ensuring that the DOT was in compliance with all governing laws, policies and procedures regarding the administration of road project funds.

25

Fiscal Year 1994 Airport Projects
20
8 7
Source: Office of lntermodal Programs

The Programming Office obtained State Transportation Board approval for 423 projects, adding $1.2 billion to the sixyear Construction Work Program. As of the end of the fiscal year, the six-year Construction Work Program consisted of 2,048
$7.09

las and Americus. Further, this study recommended the construction of a fifth runway at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport and the development of an air carrier airport in the Metropolitan Atlanta Area as a supplement to Hartsfield. During Fiscal Year 1994, work also continued on the General Aviation/Economic Study which is scheduled for completion in Fis-
1995.

pared the

of activities unlntermodal for as

able to compete nationally for additional federal funding from states that did not use all of their federal obligation authority. As a result of this process, Georgia obtained an additional $16.4 million in obligation authority. The floods of July and October 1994 also resulted in 210 emergency relief projects that were authorized for over $69 million. Intermodal Programs
The Office of lntermodal Programs continued its efforts in Fiscal Year 1994 to foster the development of alternative transportation modes. The completion of a harbor-deepening project, for example, promises to make the Port of Savannah more accessible for large ships. Intermodal Programs worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to have the harbor deepened to 42 feet, an effort which involved wetland mitigation, debris landfill and relocation of a radio tower.
Completed in June 1994, the Air Carrier/Air Cargo Needs Study of the State Aviation System Plan provided recommendations concerning the development of the state's airport system. One recommendation involved the implementation of commuter service at general aviation airports located in Rome, Cornelia, Dublin, Doug-

ty to determine a site location and conceptual design of a multimodal terminal for Athens.
Included among the fiscal year accomplishments of the Transit Planning Branch in Intermodal Programs was the completion of the Transit Feasibility Study in Warner Robins and the publication of the Georgia Transit Fact Book for 1993 operations. The Transit Planning Branch also coordinated the transfer of $1,187,200 in federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds to the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority for the purchase of five clean-engine compressed natural gas buses.
In the operations section of lntermodal Programs, capital and operating funds were allocated to 67 Rural Public Transportation Programs totaling $3,294,275. During the fiscal year, 44 new vans and mini-buses were purchased for the Rural Public Transportation Program. Capital and operating projects were allocated in nine urban areas totaling $5,475,847.

26

A 500-acre wetland, known as Bowen's Millpond, as well as other water fowl preservation sites near US. 84/State Route 38 in Brooks County were acquired by the DOT during the fiscal year.
Preconstruction Division

The offices within the Preconstruction Division - Environment/Location, Rightof-Way, Bridge and Structural Design, Road and Airport Design, and Urban Design - are responsible for the activities that form the foundation on which Georgia's transportation future is built. These activities, including design, environmental impact assessments and property acquisition, are the precursors to actual construction and in many cases provide the first tangible evidence of what lies down the road. Environment/Location
The Georgia DOT's commitment to balancing the state's transportation needs

with environmental issues and mitigating the impact of transportation-related construction is evident in the myriad activities supervised by the Department's Environment/Location Office. The DOT follows local, state and federal laws to the letter to ensure efficient and accessible transportation without infringing on environmental concerns. Demonstrating that commitment are the three branches of the Environment/Location Office - environmental, location and photogrammetry/surveys. In the environmental section, for example, major environmental studies were conducted on several key projects statewide including the Stone Mountain Freeway in

27

Gwinnett County; Northside Drive in

Fulton County; portions of U.S. 441 in

both Clarke and Oconee counties; U.S. 19

in Upson County; the West Rome Bypass

in Floyd County; the Golden Isles Park-

way in Glynn County; and Cobb Parkway

in Cobb County. Additionally, the envi-

ronmental section completed nine Georgia

Environmental Protection Act documents,

131 project documents indicating little or

no significant environmental impact

(known as Categorical Exclusions) and 12

documents known as "FONSI"s, indicating

"Finding of No Significant Impact."

The location branch of Environ-

ment/Location had 33 concept reports ap-

proved. Concept reports are documents

prepared for DOT management about pro-

ject proposals and contain information

such as cost, proposed right-of-way acqui-

sition, environmental impact, design crite-

ria, maps and limits of the project. Among

the 33 reports approved, seven were from

the Fall Line Freeway, one of the Gover-

nor's priority corridors from the Gover-

nor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP).

In the area of traffic analysis, the location

branch completed 211 projects entailing

traffic projections development. Traffic projections - figures estimated for when a project opens and for 20 years in the future

Aerial photography is an integral part ofpreliminary road design as well as overall transportation management.

- are used to det;riiriae",among other

items, the type,orint~tsect'ion~ and number

'-~- ,,
of turn lanes required. The photogramme

-, --Right-of-Way
,,, ,, Improving and expanding the state's transportation network would not be possible without tfie,diJjgent efforts of the

Georgia DOT again was second only to California with regard to the total number of parcels acquired. During the course of the year, DOT Right-of-Way oversaw 110

DOT's Right-of-W;ybffic;_~ This office residential relocations and 100 business

ed with acquiring property to fa-

relocations.

In additional Right-of-Way activities,

five major projects encompassing 424 par-

cels were awarded to consultants for turn-

over 300 miles of mapping.

being sensitive to th

key, or complete, right-of-way acquisition.

also published an automated surveying

Fiscal Year 1994, R t-of-Way expendi- These projects included a 10.3-mile sec-

manual and 120 of the branch's surveyors tures totaled $56,169,786.46 and 2,474

tion of the Fall Line Freeway near Colum-

were given specialized training at an auto- parcels were acquired, only nine percent

bus; 11.10 miles of U.S. 25 from State

mated surveying academy.

of which involved condemnations. The

Route 26 to County Road 190 near

28

Statesboro; 17.86 miles of U.S. 441 from the Irwinton Bypass to the Milledgeville Bypass; 2.73 miles of U.S. 27 in Carroll County; and 10.2 miles of State Route 11 in Houston County. The successful bids for these projects totaled $489,585 in consultant costs. Bridge and Structural Design
The thousands of bridges which are part of Georgia's local and State Highway System are a testament to the dedication and hard work of the Preconstruction Division's Bridge and Structural Design Office. Fiscal Year 1994 was a banner year

Road and Airport Design The Road and Airport Design Office
set another watermark of excellence during the year, producing many design plans in both the conceptual and final phases. Employees completed and submitted concepts on 36 projects; among these projects were five major interstate widening projects on 1-95 in Camden, Chatham and Glynn counties. Right-of-way plans were completed on 34 major projects, most of which were on the GRIP System along the U.S. 441, U.S. 341, U.S. 19 and U.S. 27 corridors.

The office ended Fiscal Year 1994 having completed the final construction plans for 21 major projects. Significant among these projects were two interstate widening projects on 1-95, replacement of the bridge over 1-85 at State Route 317, and the widening of I-75 in Clayton County including a new interchange with U.S. 41. The total contract value of these interstate projects let in fiscal 1994 exceeded $100 million. Final plans also were prepared on four projects in the GRIP System along U.S. 341, the Fall Line Freeway and U.S. 1 corridors.

for this office as employees notched sev-

eral significant achievements. The office

produced, during fiscal 1994, construction

plans for letting to contract 94 bridges with

a total bid cost of $67,307,000. Also,

bridge plans were completed for numerous

bridge projects including the Harry S Tru-

man Parkway in Chatham County; State

Route 520 over the Jekyll River in Glynn County; Courtland Street

Right-of-Way Parcels Acquired in Georgia

span replacement over

Decatur Street in Fulton

County; widening of I-75 in Clayton County; widening of 1-95 in Bryan and Chatham counties; and the Freedom Parkway Ice Canopy in Fulton County.
In other accomplish-

1994 1990 1986

ments, the Bridge and Structural Design Office

1982

finished more than 25 hydraulic studies for bridges

1978

spanning rivers, lakes and

streams. Hydraulic studies,

required by federal law on

all new location or replace-

ment projects, entail calculations to determine several

Source: DOT Right-of-Way Office

variables such as water velocity, flood ele-

vation and scour potential.

29

Urban Design The unique transportation needs of
the state's urban centers are addressed by the Preconstruction Division's Urban Design Office. In fiscal 1994, a total of 13 major projects were designed by Urban Design and let for construction with a contract value totaling $87,802,942.93.
et were the Freedom ton County; -285 and
th C

venues. Many urban areas of the state have enacted local option sales tax programs for implementing transportation projects. The Urban Design Office has been a coordinator, reviewer and consultant to these local governments as they undertake these numerous projects. During the South Georgia floods of 1994, Urban Design worked many long hours producing $13.5 million in emergency contracts to help restore area transportation.
The Internationaf Boulevard viaduct on adjacent to the Georgia Dome fiscal 1994. Also in Atlanta, the

In an ongoing support capacity, the Bridge Design Office provided information to the DOT's Permits & Enforcement Office concerning over 850 permitted routings for overheight and overweight truck loadings transported in Georgia. This information is vital not only for the enforcement of Georgia's weight and height laws, but also for the state's booming trucking industry. The trucking industry relies on this information in planning routes for conveying goods across Georgia and the nation.

were the Islands Expre

yover in

Chatham County and the Courtland Street

span replacement over Decatur Street in

Fulton County. The Islands Expressway

Flyover will provide better access to the

yachting venue in Savannah. Courtland

Street will be one of the most heavily

traveled Olympic corridors due to its

proximity to several downtown Atlanta

erstate passenger regional buses, Hartsfield International Airport, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority and a proposed network of commuter rail lines. The HOV lanes will introduce 60 lane miles of carpool lanes to sections of Atlanta's freeway system.

30

Construction Division

Construction The Office of Construction is responsi-
ble for assuring that the Department's construction activities are performed with the highest degree of quality. The office oversees the administration of construction contracts and provides policy and direction on numerous issues that affect construction, including: motorist safety, environmental protection, timely completion, cost controls and project management. Construction Office engineers perform periodic inspections of major projects to ensure that uniform standards of project quality are being met statewide.

Linking the birthplace ofcivil rights to the birthplace ofhuman rights is the Freedom Parkway which was
poised to open at the close ofFiscal Year 1994.

Jimmy Carter

Martin Luther King Jr.

Pregualification Group As a result of fiscal year 1994 lettings,
90 bridges and 2,640 miles of roadway were scheduled to be improved. The DOT prequalified 360 contractors, 250 consultants and registered 250 subcontractors.

Contract Administration The Office of Contract Administra-
tion awarded 398 contracts authorizing over $461 million to finance transportation system construction. As part of its commitment to facilitate improvement on off-system roads, the Department made

31

A new diamond interchange and a new bridge over I-95 in Savannah will provide more convenient access to the Savannah International Airport.

over $45 million in payments for city and county contracts.
The Construction Division continued its progressive march into the 21st century by continuing to attract prime contractors, subcontractors and suppliers with its convenient and inexpensive Electronic Bidding System (EBS). Use of this system via Compuserve has significantly increased, enabling organiza-
have convenient access to informa!fo electronically.
Contractors and other interest~ct;park ,, "1i!il' ' 'i
ties may use the Electronic Bulletiwi - . Board System (EBBS) to access ~S 1c
JHf
software, award announcements, contrac-
tor notices, bid tabulations and bidders d~<
lists. Members also can reviewini@ol' --- .0fl,,
struction Work Program, the State Transportation Improvement Program and summaries of bid averages.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Bid Analysis and Management System (AASHTO BAMS) is being checked for functionality differences with the current

Georgia BAMS system. The DOT plans

to complete the conversion to AASHTO

BAMS during fiscal year 1995, after

testing the system and enhancing the

software to suit its specific needs.
, ,~,.~ f%..,"f!"'a(;jjf,f,:,:;;;,;1Wl~l!l1~);?L l''l~,,>.,a,
The Consi;ruction Manual was totally

rewritten during the past fiscal year to

reflect current policy and procedure re-

lated to roadwax:c<?~truction.

On

e Depar~m~nt's goals is to

arid the use of EBS and

ongoing effort

computer into

ment, which will
i
ord pJgi-,<:!~sing,.;;;

ent an



ways of measuring improvements in the quality of its products. During the past fiscal year the office implemented a number of rating systems, including the aggregate rating system which monitors the quality control of quarries. The new system uses computers to monitor test

data and has essentially eliminated manual review.
Material producers can submit certification test data on the Department's EBBS and avoid manually recording and mailing it as was required in the past. Use of the electronic method is increasing monthly. During fiscal year 1994, about 60,000 test reports were electronically submitted, resulting in savings to the DOT and the producers.
The Department also continued its commitment to protect the environment and the taxpayer by investigating hazard-
)@:ic ,11,A1i1,,,:;;-'2r:'1
ous waste sites and petroleum refueling ~n:rina.1sTwith underground storage
n order to allow property owners ess DOT rights-of-way to complete ~:onmental clean-up, OMR reviewed 25 special encroachment permit applications. Because erosion control continues to be a major concern on all DOT construction projects, the Department increased use of erosion control mats, various silt barriers, stream diversions and sediment

32

basins in environmentally sensitive areas. The office also tested over 260 underground storage tanks for leaks. Compared to the cost of outside testing, this resulted in a savings of $48,000. Soil contaminant testing saved the Department $130,000 over the cost for outside testing.
OMR investigated the use of recycled shingles in asphaltic concrete mixtures by placing a one-mile test section of surface mixture with fiber glass recycled shingles on State Road 21 in Effingham County. The experimental mix is performing well.
The Department continued its commitment to constantly improving the quality of its pavements by testing and improving various asphalt mixes, including friction courses and Stone Matrix Asphalt. By modifying the friction course, OMR has significantly improved the surface water drainage capability, thereby reducing the potential for hydroplaning. The Stone Matrix Asphalt mix is a highly rutresistant mix and will increase the life of the pavement.

A fully automated fog detection and warning system will soon improve the safety of travelers using a 12-mile section of I-75 south of Tifton. A network of 20 fog sensors, ten sets of traffic monitoring loops, weather instruments, cameras and on-site computers will "watch" for hazardous conditions, control automated message signs and alert the DOT and local police when fog hampers visibility. Construction Claims
The Office of Construction Claims intensified its effort to reduce contractor claims against the Department by revising and reviewing DOT specifications to ensure they are accurate and to eliminate ambiguity.
The Claims Office also diligently analyzes contract documents. Additionally, the office trains field personnel to manage and minimize claims and to understand and enforce contracts. As part of its effort to ensure efficiency, the office has enhanced its document management software.!

Division Data

Phase II of the River Watch Parkway opened in Richmond County linking 1-20 with Pleasant Home Road. 33

Operations Division

The Operations Division consists of six subdivisions: Permits and Enforcement, Maintenance, Maintenance Personnel, Traffic Operations, Utilities and Equipment Management. Each office has significantly contributed to the overall successes enjoyed by the Operations Division in Fiscal Year 1994. Maintenance
The most notable accomplishment of the Maintenance Office was the letting of 893 miles of resurfacing and widening projects. These projects totaled approximately $69.2 million. In addition, 37.4 miles of concrete rehabilitation were let at a cost of $12.7 million. Concrete rehabilitation involves mending broken slabs through removing and repouring the slabs. To prolong the life of the new slabs, all lanes are ground and all joints are resealed to keep water from getting under the concrete slabs, causing them to break again. Another important undertaking

An extensive fiber-optic network will allow traffic situations to be monitored from the DOT's state-of-the-art Transportation Management Center. Construction of the Center was well underway in September 1994, top photo. The completed Center is depicted by an artist's rendering in the bottom illustration.
34

of the Maintenance Office was bridge painting. The Department repainted 315 bridges at an approximate cost of $17.5 million.
In other Maintenance endeavors, surface treatment of rural routes ranked as a high priority for the office in fiscal 1994. Approximately 586 lane miles of rural roads were resurfaced and sealed to remove cracked pavement areas. The rural routes were chip sealed, a process which involves pouring liquid asphalt onto affected areas. The process is completed by adding a layer of rock to the mixture after it has been poured. Rural roads are selected for chip sealing because they typically have low traffic volumes, which means the improvements usually will last longer than they would on more heavily traveled roads.
Finally, the Maintenance Office let contracts for 155 projects during fiscal 1994. The cost of these projects totaled $89.3 million. Maintenance Personnel
The Operation Division's Office of Personnel is responsible for the personnel activities of all maintenance employees in the Department's seven districts and the General Office - approximately one-half of the Department's employees. This office also has overall responsibility for the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program for all DOT employees. The Office of Maintenance Personnel was busy throughout Fiscal Year 1994 with the implementation of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program and the continued efforts of GeorgiaGain, a state initiative to design and implement a pay-for-performance plan. Traffic Operations
The primary concern of the Traffic Operations office is ensuring that traffic

flows smoothly and safely throughout the state. The office declares in its formal mission statement: "The mission of the Office of Traffic Operations is to make the operation of the state highways of Georgia safe and efficient. We will be positive, supportive and sensitive to the needs of the transportation system users."
Construction of the Transportation Management Center (TMC) was the highlight of Fiscal Year '94 for Traffic Operations. Crews began work on the four-story structure in April 1994. Upon its scheduled completion in September 1995, the 55,000-square-foot complex will house approximately 100 traffic operations employees from the General Operations, Accident

Analysis, Planning Design and Media Coordination sections. Additionally, the DOT's Permits and Enforcement unit will move to the TMC and will occupy space on the fourth floor. As part of the DOT's Advanced Transportation Management System, the TMC will serve as a traffic analysis center, with its spaceage network of telecommunications and computer technology. The Traffic Management Center will focus its energies on making the current infrastructure in Georgia more efficient, allowing the DOT to better manage traffic flow.
Traffic Operations also initiated an information service known as *DOT for motorists with mobile telephones. By

Georgia became the first state in a consortium of 15 states to issue a multi-state permit for truckers. The number of states in the consortium will increase as the multistate permit program gains momentum nationwide.

35

punching the star (*) key on their mobile telephones and then the digits "368," motorists are able to reach a live operator. The *DOT operators issue traffic updates to motorists; they also receive information regarding traffic accidents and interruptions from motorists using the *DOT service. The *DOT operators will be based at the new TMC structure when it is completed.
Many infrastructure improvements were achieved during fiscal 1994 in the areas of projects design, railroads and traffic safety electrical facilities. In the projects design area of Traffic Operations, several transportation infrastructure projects were let in Fiscal Year 1994: 14 intersection improvement projects; 49 signing and marking projects; and 351 traffic signal installation/upgrade projects. Other transportation improvements fell under traffic safety electrical facilities. That unit of Traffic Operations processed 274 traffic engineering reports; issued 103 traffic signal permits; revised 130 traffic signal permits; participated in 136 traffic signal installations; participated in four research projects and repaired 165 pieces of electronic equipment. In the railroad section, Fiscal Year 1994 saw installations or upgrading in 50 grade crossings to include bells, lights and gates. Of the 6,259 total public grade crossings in Georgia, 1,548 have bells, lights and gates; 371 have flashing lights and the remaining crossings only have signs. Utilities
Fiscal Year 1994 brought a considerable amount of activity to the Office of Utilities. Under the guidance of the state utilities engineer, the office coordi-

An information service instituted by the Office of Traffic Operations allows motorists to dial *DOT (*368) on a celluar phone for traffic information from live operators.
nates utility and railroad matters between the DOT and utility owners and railroads. Additionally, the office is responsible for developing and administering policies, procedures and regulations related to highway/utility/railroad matters.
When highway construction projects are being developed, it is the responsibility of the Office of Utilities to notify any utility owners or railroad companies if they hold property which might conflict with the proposed highway construction. Thus, the Office of Utilities acts as a liaison between the DOT offices of Preconstruction and Construction, as well as the seven DOT District Offices, and the utilities and railroads. In Fiscal Year '94, coordination activities of the office were completed on 398 projects on which bids were taken. The cost of these projects came to $461.2 million.

36

The Office of Utilities also prepared and authorized 50 utility agreements totaling $6 million; prepared and authorized 74 railroad agreements totaling $4.9 million; processed 13 allotment requests in the amount of $851,000; processed for payment 195 progress and final bills for utility and railroad work in excess of $7.4 million and provided guidance to the seven District utilities offices in their review and issuance of 9,696 utility permits. Permits and Enforcement
The Division's Office of Permits and Enforcement is charged with the strict regulation of weight and length laws for trucks that use Georgia's transportation infrastructure. During fiscal 1994, the office boasted an historical achievement when Georgia became the first state to issue multi-state permits. A

calls from individuals or companies who are seeking permits for commercial truck travel. The best feature of the new calling system is that it automatically directs calls to the next available operator when a line is busy, thereby enhancing operator productivity and efficiency. Equipment Management
The Office of Equipment Management is responsible for the purchase and final disposition of all equipment statewide, controlling fleet size and statewide contracts. The development and administration of policies, procedures and regulations related to equipment and shop operations also falls under the realm of this office. Additionally, this office provides statewide preventive maintenance training and inspections and actively monitors new technology beneficial to the Department.
luded among the responsif the Office of Equipment Man-
he maintenance of vehicles nt in the statewide fleet. ese vehicles and various pieces of ;;Fange in scope from lawn to heavy earth-moving equip-

Division Data

delivery. Georgia,
sues the mul
consortium will increa gains momentum nationwide. The permits are valid in all states which participate in the multi-state permit issuance plan.
In other developments, the office was proud to unveil its new Automatic Call Director, or ACD system, in Fiscal Year 1994. This new system directs

icles and equipment is ap8,500 statewide with a re-
A significant development in the ,a of Equipment Management was the \ing of the contract to construct its w office building in Lithonia. Completion of the new building is scheduled for spring 1995.
Finally, Fiscal Year 1994 was an educational one for employees of the Office of Equipment Management. During that period, 775 DOT personnel attended preventive maintenance training sessions.

37

Administration Division

Money from the toll booths is deposited directly into coin collection boxes like the ones pictured above. One full box weighs approximately 42 pounds.
38

Within this Division are the offices of General Support Services, General Accounting, Audits & Fiscal Procedures, Air Transportation and the Tollway Administration. General Support Services
Throughout Fiscal Year 1994, the Office of General Support Services provided budget services to the Department and acted as a liaison between the DOT and the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget. In meeting the Department's Fiscal Year 1994 purchasing and general supply needs, the Office of General Support Services processed 96,531 field purchase orders with a dollar amount of $55,461,955.60 and 307 purchase orders with a dollar amount of

Air Transportation Flight Information Data ----- 869

Source: DOT Office of Air Transportation

$12,515,722.61. General Support Services also continued to: maintain project record files; upgrade the Cost Accounting and Management System (CAMS); assist in cost accounting decisions and inventory control; and improve effort dinate record keeping on the p tern (PROPS).
Support Services rededic and actions during the fi for a zero fatality rate fo the Department - a conti
involving outdoor advertising a overweight truck regulations, th first resort" remained a successf of resolving situations before more vention was necessary. In Fiscal Year 1994, departmental hearing officers conducted 248 outdoor advertising hearings and 1,128 overweight hearings. General Accounting Services
The Administration Division's Office of General Accounting continued its pursuit of making improvements in all areas of fiscal management during Fiscal Year 1994. For the seventh consecutive year, General Accounting's Pre-Audit Unit sur-

passed the 95 percent requirement for invoices to be paid within 30 days. The Department's workforce of 6,000-plus employees confidently relied upon the Payroll Unit throughout the fiscal year to meet 48 payrolls, all on time and accu-
ely. Likewise, the Contracts Payable t successfully administered payments contractors well within the required
e. All funds were tracked in an
nit. I Procedures of Audits and Fiscal Pro-
al year successes. Even with staff resources, the Office of Fis-
dates, vehicle assignment coordination, password assignments and State Transportation Board resolutions.
The External Audit Unit completed 384 audits consisting of 88 pre-award audits, 219 actual cost final audits and 77 lump-sum final cost audits. The Internal Audit Unit completed several internal audits in areas such as cash receipts and project account procedures.

Air Transportation The Department's Office of Air
Transportation, located west of downtown Atlanta at Charlie Brown Airport, logged 19,104 hours flown during the fiscal year. This office is vital in the production of aerial surveys needed for project design efforts. Additionally, top state officials rely on the DOT's air service for transportation to and from official events. Tollway Administration
On August 1, 1993 the long-awaited Georgia 400 Extension opened, connecting the road's previous terminus near 1285 with 1-85 north of Atlanta. The Office of Tollway Administration supervised the operation of the Georgia 400 Extension - a management responsibility encompassing toll collection efforts at the Georgia 400 Toll Plaza as well as the distribution of Georgia Cruise Cards at the Cruise Card Center. During Fiscal Year 1994, an average of 74,909 vehicles per day passed through the Toll Plaza. The Georgia Cruise Card Center issued Cruise Cards to more than 22,600 applicants, bringing the total to 40,000 Cruise Cards in use by the fiscal year's end.

39

Special Staff

The Equal Opportunity Office counsels all employees, upon request, concerning Equal Opportunity policies and procedures of the Department.

State Aid Through the County/City Contract
Program administered by the DOT's Office of State Aid, a total of 800 contracts were authorized in Fiscal Year 1994 for construction. These contracts covered 1,664.1 miles at a total cost of $56.2 million.
These expenditures covered improving unpaved roads; resurfacing of paved roads; paving of school drives and parking facilities and sidewalks; and replacing or rehabilitating 155 deficient drainage structures at a cost of $3.04 million.
The County/City Contract Program also has been instrumental in working

with the Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism in economic development for many sections of the state. More than 50 counties have passed Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax Programs to aid in improvements to their roads and bridges. The Department has made commitments to help these communities by applying $8.78 million to such contracts through the County/City Contract Program.
The Office of State Aid reviewed 295 drainage structures identified on the local road system. Of those structures, 195 were found to be deficient enough to warrant assistance in replacement or rehabilitation and 155 were covered through the

40

County/City Contract Program as noted above. Another 40 drainage structures were recommended for replacement through the Construction Work Program at an estimated cost of $11.73 million.
The Local Assistance to Roads Program (LARP) was successful in awarding 557 separate contracts at a total cost of $36.13 million to resurface some 1,458.5 miles of existing paved roads in the state.
A total of 8,777 priorities covering 6,948 miles were reviewed by State Aid personnel from the District Offices and the General Office. Equal Opportunity
The Equal Opportunity (EO) Office is charged with ensuring that the DOT complies with all federal and state guidelines as they relate to fair and equitable hiring and employment practices. Additionally, the office monitors female and minority participation relative to DOT projects statewide.
During fiscal 1994, several significant feats were accomplished by the EO Office. It obtained equipment and software to completely computerize Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) tracking information and reporting data. The office's regional and national influence was felt as office staff participated not only in the formation of a Federal Highway Administration Region 4 Executive Civil Rights Council but also in the formation of an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Civil Rights Committee, replacing the outdated special sub-committee on the DBE program.

The DOT has embraced computer technology in all aspects of transportation management.
41

Additionally, the EO Office responded to all complaints of discrimination filed with the Commissioner on Equal Opportunity and counseled all employees, upon request, concerning Equal Opportunity policies and procedures of the Department. Personnel
During Fiscal Year 1994 much of the time of the Personnel Office staff was devoted to working with the State Merit System and other state agencies in the massive, statewide design and development effort for the GeorgiaGain initiative. GeorgiaGain is the name given to the effort to remake the state's personnel and pay systems. Staff from the DOT's Personnel Office actively represented the Department on the Job Evaluation and

Performance Management work teams. Additionally, the staff served on the Systems Re-engineering and Core team which provided day-to-day management of the overall inter-agency effort. As GeorgiaGain develops, the DOT will continue to work hard to ensure that the new systems provide efficient and economical personnel management for the Department and all of Georgia state government.
The Personnel Office also coordinated employee training for the Department. The Personnel Training staff continued to support the Department's effort to become more efficient during fiscal 1994. This staff provided training opportunities for first-line supervisors through the academy programs and management deveiopment training

Number of Georgia DOT Employees

for mid- to top-level managers. Other training programs provided to help keep engineers and designers current were offered in conjunction with the National Highway Institute. Public Affairs
The Public Affairs Office serves as the Department of Transportation's internal and external information source. The function of the office is to apprise the general public and the media of the DOT's goals, accomplishments and activities and to facilitate concise, timely communication within the agency.
During Fiscal Year 1994 the Public Affairs Office researched, planned and implemented an aggressive marketing program to promote both the opening of the State Route 400 Extension toll facility and the Georgia Cruise Card. The card is an Automatic Vehicle Identification device which allows motorists to pay tolls electronically. Media outreach efforts included a private tour of the Extension before it opened, public speaking engagements and a series of targetspecific news advisories. The Public Affairs Office helped turn the road's opening on August 1, 1993 into one of the most widely covered road openings in the history of the DOT.
Other routine, yet nonetheless important, activities of the Public Affairs Office included daily contact with statewide media regarding departmental activities and answering questions from and assisting perpetually inquisitive members of the traveling public. The office also was responsible for producing a host of internal and external publications, including the quarterly employee newsletter and the Department's annual report.

42

The DOT Public Alfairs Office coordinated a successful media tour of the Georgia 400 Toll Plaza. Shown at left is a DOT Public Relations & Information Specialist responding to a media query.

Systems Development The Office of Systems Development is responsible
for managing the Department's Information Management Technology, entailing computer hardware, software and operations. This responsibility involves recomme Information Management Technology policies and cedures to DOT senior management and overseein formance to approved policies. The office also pr technical assistance and training to computer users within the Department.
In Fiscal Year 1994, several important ste taken to improve the Department's lnformatio ment Technology resources. Approval was fully implement Office Automation Syst which had been used on a pilot basis by sev Additionally, the memory in PC-based design workstations was upgraded to enable them to process design and CAD software more efficiently. The Office of Systems

Development also completed network cabling projects for a majority of offices, thereby providing increased access to the Department's cluster.
Several advances were made in support of the DOT's ring and design software. A new Survey Data on Process - called Compiler - was developed e to reinforce the automation of project design w. Acceptance testing and implementation of the a Stabilized Embankment Wall (GASE) program leted and turned over to the Bridge Design Of-
e was written to extract Contract Pay Item escriptions from BAMS database. This tech-
mate and a detail estimate plan sheet. The accomplishments made in Information Management Technology in Fiscal Year 1994 continued the DOT's progress in the effective use of this technology.

43

Counties in DOT District One

District Engineer Hugh Tyner
District One Data
623 employees 21 counties
2,297 miles of highway on State Highway System

D istrict One, also known as the Department's Gainesville District, saw numerous transportation improvements throughout the Fiscal Year.
State Route 316 took a major stride through Barrow and Oconee counties with the completion of 12.6 miles of grading and paving from State Route 11 to State Route 10/U.S. 78.
In Habersham County, 6.3 miles of a four-lane divided roadway were completed on State Route 15/U.S. 441 beginning at State Route 17 and extending to Tallulah Falls. Gwinnett County received 4.8 miles of reconstruction on State Route 20, including some relocation, beginning north of State Route 124 and extending to the 1-85 interchange.
In addition to construction projects contracted by the

Department, DOT crews in District One resurfaced 56.6 miles of roadway during the fiscal year.
The District One workforce was undaunted by Mother Nature's fury unleashed in the spring and summer of fiscal '94. In a spirited team effort, they assisted with flood relief in Middle Georgia and cleanup efforts following the "Palm Sunday Tornado" that ripped through a northeast section of the state.
With a vigilant eye on safety, numerous measures were effected during the fiscal year to improve the safety of the District's transportation system. Traffic Operations erected nine stop-and-go signals, two overhead beacons and two school beacons as well as performing preventive maintenance twice on 151 signals and 125 flashing beacons. Tim-

44

DOT crews worked around the clock to clear roadways following the "Palm Sunday Tornado" in North Georgia.
ing changes also were implemented on 140 signal controllers.
In Gainesville, dual left-turn lanes were implemented at various locations including State Route 11/U.S. 129 at State Route 13/Jesse Jewell Parkway. In Hall and Habersham counties, 11 right-turn lanes were constructed and offset left-turn lanes were reconstructed at two intersections on State Route 365/U.S. 23.
In Fiscal Year 1994, preparations also were finalized in District One to pave the way for even more transportation improvements. Included among the projects designed and let to contract were 16 projects involving six bridges and eight miles of roadway. And in Right-of-Way, 319 parcels were acquired.
In preparation for the 1996 Olympics, more than $20 ,000 was donated for wildflower plantings along highways in District One.
45

District Engineer Charles Norris
District Two Data

Counties in DOT District Two

695 employees 28 counties
3,275 miles of highway on State Highway System

F iscal Year 1994 was one of considerable activity for District Two, the Tennille District. In all areas of operation, projects abounded.
Richmond County, for example, experienced significant progress on the River Watch Parkway. Phase II of this parkway opened in August 1993. The new 2.65-mile section links 1-20 with Pleasant Home Road at the RichmondColumbia county line. Included in this project is a new bridge over the CSX Railroad line and three sets of traffic signals. The first leg of this Parkway, spanning 4.1 miles from downtown Augusta to 1-20, opened in January 1991. The tentative date for construction to begin on the third leg of River Watch Parkway, from Pleasant Home Road to Baston Road, is set for some time in 1996.
In May 1994, 5.45 miles of the State Route 56 Spur in Richmond County was dedicated as the Doug Barnard

Parkway. This Parkway extends from Gordon Highway to County Road 1518. Barnard served as Georgia's 10th District representative on the State Transportation Board from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. From 1977 to 1993, he served as a U.S. congressman.
As significant projects were completed and opened to traffic, plans were well underway for future transportation improvements. During the fiscal year, $15.9 million of contracts were awarded for nine miles of additional road lanes. Contracts also were let for the replacement of ten bridges on the State Route System at a total contract cost of $5.4 million. Two intersection improvements also were slated for District Two with the letting of $800,000 worth of projects.
In the City of Milledgeville, traffic promises to flow even more efficiently with the completion of a contract in

46

The statewide Rural Public Transportation Program is a county-based transportation system administered by the DOT.
Fiscal Year 1994 to upgrade 18 traffic signals in the downtown area. This contract included not only the signal work, but also traffic signal timing for the entire 18-signal system. The District's new Traffic Signal Shop/Warehouse was completed during the fiscal year to house signal maintenance equipment and vehicles. The new facility also will provide a work area for the District traffic signal technicians.
One of the outstanding projects in District Two received a perfect rating for steel cover on all four spans of the Gordon Highway (State Route 10) bridge widening project over the 1520 Bobby Jones Expressway in Richmond County. This rating led the District to win the Bridge Deck Quality Construction Award for Steel Cover in December 1993. The award was presented at the DOT Contractor's Workshop in Athens.
District Two's Administration Division also noted several accomplishments during the fiscal year. The District Safety Office implemented a quarterly newsletter which is furnished to all District Two personnel as well as to the State Safety Council and all District Safety Officers throughout the state. The District Two Personnel Office completed data collection concerning job descriptions and questionnaires for Area Office Merit System titles. District Two was the first data collection site fo complete this type of collection endeavor.
47

Counties in DOT District Three

District Engineer Van Etheridge

District Three Data

~

706 employees

31 counties

3,327 miles of highway on State Highway System

T he western portion of the state continued to rank highly in transportation improvements during Fiscal Year 1994 thanks to the dedication and hard work of the DOT District Three team, based in Thomaston.
All totaled, the District opened approximately 32 miles of roadway to traffic in Fiscal Year 1994. Included among the major projects completed during the fiscal year was a widening, plant mix resurfacing and enhanced traffic control project for 7.6 miles of I-75 in Houston and Peach counties, between State Route 7 and State Route 96. This $11.8 million project was opened to traffic in October 1993 and included the widening of four double bridges. An additional 7.69 miles of 1-75 were widened and resurfaced from State Route 26 to State Route 7 in Houston County. This

$8.95 million project was opened to traffic in May 1994. The District also initiated 17.25 miles of concrete rehabilitation on I-75 in Butts, Lamar and Monroe counties. In Fayette County, State Route 54 experienced 7.1 miles of widening and reconstruction at a total contract cost of over $9.7 million.
On the state's Fall Line Freeway, 28 miles were completed in District Three with seven miles remaining under construction. This route, with a scheduled completion date of Fiscal Year 1996, will be the only non-interstate highway connecting three major cities in Georgia - Columbus, Macon and Augusta. The Fall Line Freeway roughly follows the route of Georgia's fall line - the point where the ocean started receding at the end of the Ice Age.

48

Trucks are loaded with asphalt material at a DOT asphalt plant.
On the Golden Isles Parkway, nine miles remained under construction in District Three at the close of Fiscal Year 1994. This 167-mile route extends from 1-75 in Perry along U.S. 341 to 1-95 at Brunswick. Statewide, 56 miles were opened or under construction at the end of fiscal 1994. Included among the Golden Isles Parkway projects under construction were the Perry and Eastman bypasses and a section of the Parkway through Odum.
Fiscal year progress also could be measured in terms of technology and training. Field location offices were equipped with computers with outload and upload capabilities. The DOT's field surveying training course - the Automated Surveying Academy - was completed by 16 of the District's Location Survey personnel. This intensive, week-long training session is designed to enhance the survey crews' knowledge of field data collection methods.
Civic-minded DOT employees in District Three also embraced their community by participating in athletic events benefiting various charities.
49

District Engineer Buck Hartley

Counties in DOT District Four

District Four Data
724 employees 32 counties
3,557 miles of highway on State Highway System

M eeting the transportation needs of the DOT' s Fourth District, headquarterd in Tifton, was never more critical than in the months following the Flood of 1994. After a massive recovery effort, perhaps the greatest test was of the Department's ability to resume and maintain effective service. The important projects that coincided with emergency flood work are a shining example of the Department's commitment to effectively serving the citizens of this state while simultaneously saving them money and protecting the environment.
The activity of the Construction Office was pivotal keeping the highways in District Four accessible. A $25.7 million project to widen portions of I-75 in Lowndes County was among the District highlights. There were four

projects in various counties that modified state routes to four lanes. All this work was accomplished with the lowest construction supervision cost to contractor earnings ratio in the state - 3.8 percent.
In the Tifton District a total of 585 construction projects were active during the fiscal year. About $50 million in final payments were made to contractors, and more than 200 projects were authorized to begin construction. All of the 843 Construction Reports in District Four were submitted within the specified period for prompt contractor payment.
In the Preconstruction Office, Environment and Location and Right-of-Way employees worked diligently to acquire Bowen's Millpond, a 500-acre wetland, as well as other water fowl preservation sites near U.S. 84/State Route

50

An 18-mile section of I-75 in Lowndes County underwent widening m Fiscal Year 1994.
38 in Brooks County. Through a coordinated effort with the Construction Office, Environment and Location successfully relocated 50 state-protected gopher tortoises from U.S. 27/State Route 1 in Decatur and Miller counties. The Environment and Location Office exceeded its environmental goals by obtaining environmental clearance on 28 projects.
In cooperative efforts with the federal government and local entities, Intermodal Programs helped provide more than 63,000 rural public transportation trips and one million trips on the Albany Transit Urban System. The Department replaced more than half of its outdated rural public transportation fleet to keep it viable. Flood victims saw the benefit of a well-maintained fleet after the flood. Intermodal Programs provided critically needed transportation shuttle service to temporary shelters for flood victims in Albany.
In order to ensure the integrity of District Four roads following the flood, Materials and Research located erosion problems that affected road foundation repair. Despite the inherent danger of such work, the District's Testing Management Unit received the Commissioner's Safety Award for 1994 for having no accidents. The Fourth Di~trict also actively promoted independent contractor testing and performed companion samples to prove its cost-effectiveness and accuracy.
51

District Engineer Craig Brack

Counties in DOT District Five

District Five Data
646 employees 24 counties
2,603 miles of highway on State Highway System

C riss-crossed by highways, railroads and rivers and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the DOT' s District Five, based in Jesup, boasts perhaps the most eclectic mix of transportation modes in the state. The District's southeastern border is characterized by a thriving tourist trade and shipping enterprises that utilize planes, cars, buses, riverboats, trains and massive ocean liners to move people and products from place to place. An accessible and constantly improving transportation system is a watermark of the Fifth District.
The Construction Office did its part to ensure mobility on District Five's highways by grading and paving for an

additional lane on 22 miles of State Route 4, U.S. 1 and U.S. 23 near Waycross. The $10.9 million project also called for the construction of a bridge culvert and the widening and construction of two double bridges over Little Spanish Creek and Spanish Creek.
A $5.6 million project which resulted in a new diamond-shaped interchange and a new bridge over 1-95 in Savannah will provide more convenient access to the Savannah International Airport. In Bulloch County, contractors completed a $3.2 million West Statesboro Bypass from State Route 73 to State Route 26.
The Operations Office performed repairs on the 1-95

52

A paving project on Sapelo Island required over 6,000 tons ofasphalt which was transported to the island on a barge.
Altamaha Bridge after discovering a drastic loss of material affecting the piling supports. Repairing the bridge required unparalleled cooperation between the District's Maintenance, Administration, Construction and Enforcement units as well as the contractor. Throughout the project, a high quality of construction was maintained under dangerous river conditions, pounding northeasterly winds and bitter cold.
Operations also paved roadway and parking facilities on Sapelo Island. This complicated exercise entailed DOT forces mixing 6,817 tons of cold mix asphalt and transporting it to the island on a commercial barge to do the paving.
District Five's commitment to a flexible transportation system was underscored by lntermodal Programs, which acquired three new vans and four new electric-powered buses for the Chatham Area Transit downtown shuttle. Employees of the Intermodal Programs Office also made presentations on transportation alternatives to all 24 counties in the District.
53

District Engineer Charles Law

Counties in DOT District Six

District Six Data
515 employees 17 counties
1,867 miles of highway on State Highway System

D istrict Six continued to provide excellent service during the fiscal year to the northwest corner of the state in all areas of transportation activities.
The District Six Rural Public Transportation Program, for example, served 83 percent of the District's total population with 84 vehicles that logged over one million annual passenger miles. Fourteen of the District's 17 counties participated in this program. As of June 1994, the District also boasted 18 park-and-ride lots with a total capacity of 1,023 parking spaces.
The DOT's Adopt-A-Highway anti-littering effort also continued to flourish throughout the Cartersville District.

Fannin County led the charge with citizens adopting 100 percent of available roadway by the end of the fiscal year. Fannin County is the second county in the state to achieve this status.
Also enhancing the roadways in District Six were efforts to improve signage. Seventy-six percent of the District's interstate guide signs were overlaid or refurbished.
Construction accomplishments for District Six abounded in Fiscal Year '94. Included among these accomplishments was the completion of 10.145 miles of the U.S. 27 four-lane corridor which provided a bypass around

54

The DOT redesigned this bridge over Rock Creek in Murray County to protect an endangered fish species, the Blue Shriner Minnow.

Bremen and Buchanan at a total cost of $18.9 million. On Interstate 20, an additional lane was provided from Douglasville to Villa Rica, a total of 11.620 miles. This $17.9 million 1-20 project involved the placement of 76,780 cubic yards of concrete and received a national award for concrete paving.
The resurfacing of three interstate routes in Bartow, Dade and Cobb counties was well received by the traveling public. A polymer "D" mix was used that enables surface water to drain from

the roadway surface more quickly. This mix has proven to eliminate standing water and greatly reduces tire spray.
The sections of interstate resurfaced with this mix include: 16.9 miles of 1-75 from Barrett Parkway in Cobb County north to Exit 123 in Bartow County; all of 1-59 (11.4 miles) in Dade County; and 19.8 miles of 1-575 from Cobb County to a point north of Canton.
An example of a successfully completed project with a serious environmental concern was a replacement bridge project for a Murray County road

over Rock Creek. Because Rock Creek contains an endangered fish species, the Blue Shiner Minnow, the project was redesigned to eliminate a bent that was to have been placed in the creek. During construction of the bridge, the creek water quality was monitored closely to ensure acceptable water quality.
Wildflowers bloomed along 7.6 miles of State Route 515 in Gilmer County in the spring thanks to the efforts of District Six Maintenance personnel and wildflower seeds provided by local citizens.

55

Counties in DOT District Seven

District Engineer Felton Rutledge
District Seven Data
638 employees 6 counties
991 miles of highway on State Highway System

T he Department of Transportation's District Seven is unique among all of the DOT' s districts. Though it is by far the smallest DOT district - both in number of counties and total square mileage - the District represents an area which is almost completely urban and the six counties which comprise the District are all among the most densely populated in the state. The urban setting and high population density make addressing transportation issues particularly challenging.
The transportation implications of the September 1991 announcement that Atlanta would host the 1996 Summer Olympics has resulted in a ripple effect of activity for

District Seven. With four of the District's six counties serving as Olympic venue sites and the entire region preparing for millions of visitors, that ripple effect has risen to a crescendo of activity as the 1996 Games approach. As of early calendar 1994, the DOT had programmed and was providing funding for more than 40 Olympic transportation projects throughout Georgia with an estimated total construction cost of $250 million. Over $187 million of this construction was slated for the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. The District's first 01ympics transportation project was completed during Fiscal Year 1994 and entailed the replacement of the bridge on Merk Road in Fulton County ad-

56

The DOT's comprehensive Olympic Maintenance Plan includes interstate lighting upgrading and replacement as well as litter and graffiti removal.
jacent to the Wolf Creek Trap and Skeet Club, the site of the Olympic shooting competition. Olympic projects which received environmental clearance during the year included the Courtland Street span replacement in Fulton County; the replacement of the Forsyth Street bridge over the CSX Railroad, also in Fulton County; and improvements to the 1-20/Salem Road interchange in Rockdale County.
In additional Olympics-related activity, the District's Maintenance Office planned and began to implement an extensive schedule of maintenance activities throughout the District in preparation for the Games. The schedule addresses more than a dozen items and includes bridge painting, litter control, sign lighting and upgrading/replacement, inter-
57

The District's first "Olympic Transportation Project" was completed and opened to traffic on December 8, 1993. This project, a bridge replacement on Merk Road over Camp Creek, will provide access to Olympic shooting events.

state lighting, mowing, landscaping and asphalt resurfacing. The three-year plan will culminate during the Olympics as District personnel focus daily on making the District's roadways and roadsides a showplace for the world.
Although the imprint of the Olympics loomed large during fiscal 1994, several other projects reached milestones. Ground was broken in April 1994 for the DOT's $10 million, 55,000-square foot Transportation Management Center (TMC). The TMC will serve as the headquarters for the Department's high-tech Advanced Transportation Management System which will utilize video cameras, changeable message signs, traveler information kiosks and a host of other innovative traffic control devices to more efficiently manage traffic flow. The four-story TMC is slated for occupancy in fiscal 1996.
The District also coordinated and staged the opening of the State Route 400 Extension on August 1, 1993. The project encompassed 11.212 miles of new construction, connecting State Route 400 at its previous terminus at I-285 to 1-85 near Cheshire Bridge Road.
The $270 million Extension is a toll road currently the state's second toll facility - and util-

izes one of the most sophisticated toll collection systems in the country. The exultant spirit which characterized the Extension's opening was magnified by the memory that the road had been embroiled in controversy for nearly four decades before construction began in 1989.
In the area of utilities, District Seven employees, working in tandem with Georgia Power Company, successfully completed the largest DOT utility relocation project ever. At a cost of $1.8 million, the DOT and Georgia Power relocated approximately 60 utility poles along Northside Drive in Atlanta as part of an overall upgrade.
The relocation of the utility poles, linked with traffic signal modernizations and general improvements to adjacent surface streets, will improve traffic flow on Northside Drive, one of Atlanta's most heavily traveled arterial routes and the primary corridor used for accessing the multipurpose Georgia Dome.
Further, the relocation of the poles will increase motorist safety by reducing the risk of vehicle/utility pole collisions. In other areas of the District in fiscal '94, over 200 utility poles were moved back from roadsides through the permitting process.

58

Fiscal Year 1994 Expenditures (as of June 30, 1994)
Personal Services ....................................................... 214,498,390.92 Regular Operating Expenses .............................................. 50,245,048.40 Travel ...... _..... _.................... _____ .. _............. _............ _1,425,425.61 Motor Vehicle Purchases .................. _........... _..... _..... _..... _. 2,969,227.47 Equipment .............................................................. 10,235,664.36 Computer Charges ....................................................... 5,660,162.29 Real Estate Rentals ........................................................ 1,302,876.00 Telecommunications ...................................................... 2,030,062.60 Per Diem, Fees and Contracts .... _........... _..... _..... _..... _. . . . . . . . . . 34,642,793.64 Capital Outlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696,760,648.41 Capital Outlay - Airport Development ...................................... 1,167,500.00 Capital Outlay- Airport Approach Aid/Operational Improvements ............. 1,021,555.15 Mass Transit Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,764,248.01 Harbor/Intra-Coastal Waterways ............................................ 679,999.25 Spoilage Area Acquisition, Clearing & Preparation ........................... 3,500,000.00
Total Expenditures .................................................... 1,035,903,602.11

DOT State Fund Appropriations As A Percent of Total State Fund Appropriations

percent

100%

90%

1

80%

1 1 1 1

70%

60%

50%

40% 30%

1

20%

10%

8.59%

Source: DOT Budget Office
60

FINANCIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION
Fiscal Year 1994 Distribution of Expenditures

Fiscal Year 1994 Statewide Contract Information

Source: DOT Budget Office

Source: DOT Contract Administration Office 61

Miles of Georgia Roads

miles 80,000

79,627.86 miles

70,000

60,000 50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

roads County Road System

State Highway System*

City Streets

Mile Percentages of Georgia Roads
State Highway System*

City
..S-t-reets
County Road System
* Includes Interstates, U.S. and State Routes Source: DOT Planning Data Services Office
Totals as of Dec. 31, 1993

Road System Mileage and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Source: DOT Planning Data Services Office totals as of Dec. 31, 1993

Ty_pe Road Sy_stem RURAL:
Interstates County Roads City Streets

Mileage

Vehicle Miles Traveled

14,965 miles ... _.. 63,262,956 VMT 809 miles . . . . . . 22,044,053 VMT
65,776 miles ...... 22,708,397 VMT 3,579 miles ... _... 1,423,322 VMT

SMALL URBAN AREA:**
Interstates County Roads City Streets

1,069 miles ....... 12,647,350 VMT 80 miles . . . . . . . 2,954,097 VMT
2,749 miles ... _... 4,406,924 VMT 3,674 miles ... _... 4,196,233 VMT

URBAN AREA:***
Interstates County Roads City Streets

1,860 miles ... - .. 60,685,569 VMT 355 miles ... - .. 31,269,108 VMT
11,102 miles ... _.. 30,405,811 VMT 5,777 miles ... _.. 13,650,569 VMT

State Highway System: Includes Interstates, U.S. Routes and State Routes **Small Urban Area: Area with population of 5,000 - 50,000 people urban Area: Area with population of 50,000 people or more.

62

1. Gainesville 2. Tennille 3. Thomaston 5. Jesup 6. Cartersville 7. Chamblee
63

Countv Barrow

Highwav

Proiect Description

State Route 316: 5.89 miles of construc~on between State Route 324 and State Route 10/U.S. 78

Barrow

State Route 316: 6.718 miles of construction between State Route 11 and State Route 324

Clarke
~~Winnett I~'ilj~bersham

State Route 10: 1.3 miles of reconstruction and widening to five{)Jifa<nes

i,::y~~;,.!. '.::,,~. State Route 20: 4.735f'niles ofreconstructiQn,Jncluding so ... . .,.i:~t..

',; .~ orth~~t'stafe Route 124 and to the 1-85 interchange

State:Rout~15/U.S'. 441: 6.3 million of four-lane divided roadway beginning at State Route 17 and extending to Tallulah Falls

Hall

State Route 60: 2. 7 miles of widening and reconstruction from north of the Chattahoochee River to State Route 136

Hart
Hart Rabun

State Route 77: 1.7 miles of construction between Coldwater Creek and County Road 183 including passing lane construction

as the widening of a bridge and approaches

''

'''="-

X

,

tfit~,C

,;:jgi."t\lf~},;~i,'.q

State Route 8/U.S. 29:. 4.612 .miles pf widening;,f!nd plant mix res1.1r:fii~Lr:1912Llb.e,,coiistructiortof passing lanes at four locations

r;:;;,;.,

;~,

'~~~\t=,"-4,ii""""'"~'o.-"'""

U.S. 441/State Route 15: Rii!~~~~Q.JtLa brlage and approaches over the Tallulah River.

Rabun }c:~:,,.-~~~;l~'.st;ii'Rdute2:'1.1 miles of widening for passing lanes between County Road 24 and County Road 144 east of Clayton

Richmond

River Watch Parkway: A 2.65 mile section of this ,,,,\:

D I S T R I C T THREE:

Fayette

State Route 54: 5.462 miles of widening and

Fayette

Houston/Peach
. . /<North Perry Bypass: 4.62 miles of grading, base and paving
X ~:r}tion of the bypass beginning on Thompson Road at 1-75 and

Muscogee Muscogee Taylor/Crawford

ArmdurRoad: l.302 miles of widening, resurfacing ana reconstruc

t2s1 Buena Vist~~~a.cE

miles of widening and reconstruction

j',;'c\;;/ ' '.

D I S T R I C T FOUR:

Colquitt

U.S. 319/State Route 35 (Moultrie Bypass): 7.738 miles of County Road 241 and from State Road 133 to Okapilco Creek

State Route 7: 2.443 miles of widening, resurfacing and reconstruction from

lnterstate75: 2.290 miles of interchange construction and construction of a bridge over 1-75 at County Road 785
*~~==~s"'"".: 3.767 miles of grading, drainage, base and paving between U.S. 319/State Route 3 and:;:(J,S. 84./State
ction ofaqtiage over CSX Railroad and Clay Street

~==-e,,.;,,,,u...,te""-3"".5c,: .13.639 [liil~sf:Widening, resurfacing and reconstruction and relocati as qooty l.i11e
~~~~~~7";<-'-. 689 mili~. ci(wfde'niog i:iod[E:lCOnstruction from County Road 34

county roads from Florida

1.9 milesol~ealig~;ent i~i~l~ville to a point west of State Route {,,/;,. :_,';:,,,,,,,",;,.'/~.-'':v:,",,,, /:<:,,,.:;;:;;,,',.,

construction of two bridges

,Qpenedi1~11 Fiscal Year 1994
es of grading, base n.ish .and Spanish er

Fulton

McGi Chatt
State Route 400: Approximately 6 miles of constructio
=~=o=ad=: Construction of a new bridge over Camp Cree
lub

DeKalb

Interstate 20:
tion of five bridges

a fsl~et in the City of Carrollton and

State Transportation Board of Georgia

Pictured above, front row, l-r, are Emory McClinton, James L. Lester, WP. Langdale, Tom Triplett and Johnny Gresham. Back row, l-r, Brad Hubbert, Max Goldin, Sam M. Wellborn, Frank Pinkston and Steve Reynolds. Not pictured is J. Beverly Langford.

T he Georgia Department of Transportation is governed by an elevenmember State Transportation Board which meets monthly. The Board exercises general control and supervision of the Georgia DOT, including the authority to name the Commissioner of Transportation.
Specific powers entrusted with the Board also include designating which public roads are encompassed within the state highway system; approving negotiated construction contracts, authority lease agreements, and advertising of non-negotiated

construction contracts; confirming the Commissioner's nominees for Deputy Commissioner, Chief Engineer, and Department Treasurer; and approving long-range plans and programs for the DOT.
Board members are selected by a majority vote of state legislators in both the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate representing districts embraced in part or whole within the prospective board member' s U.S. congressional district. Board members serve staggered five-year terms so that two members are elected each year.

66

Photo credits Tom Reed, The Times, Gainesville - wildflowers, pages 2 and 21 Taylor & Mathis - page 9 Jim Cook, The Times, Gainesville -wildflowers, pages 18 and 20 Danny Gilleland, The Macon Telegraph-page 15 Barnesville/Lamar County Chamber of Commerce - page 24 Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism - page 25 Tracy Snyder - artwork, page 31 Ray Elliott Rendering for Shatari Engineering Associates - artwork, page 34
Because of the monumental impact of the flood that struck Georgia just days after the close of Rscal Year 1994, information about this event is included in the Rscal Year 1994 Annual Report.

Georgia Department of Transportation
1994 Department Publication
The Georgia Department of Transportation Fiscal Year 1994 Annual Report was wrttten and designed by the staff of the Georgia DOT Public Affairs Office.