Georgia's Proposed Toll Road

"The consortium of highway builders who sparked public outrage when they proposed turning Ga. 316 into a toll road said Tuesday they are reworking their plan to scale back costs to commuters.

But they no longer plan to fund a $1 billion upgrade by charging every driver $4.70 to drive between Athens and Lawrenceville. Instead, the group is considering a variety of proposals they hope might be more palatable to the motoring public.

Among them, unveiled at a Tuesday presentation to business leaders at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce:

• Optional toll lanes for drivers who would pay to get out of traffic jams in otherwise free lanes on the 39-mile highway.

• Unspecified discounts for frequent toll payers and variable peak travel-time fares.

• Free use of the toll lanes by some drivers, such as University of Georgia students.

"We're trying to see if we can come up with a project that is reasonable, feasible, workable and financeable," said Bill Berry, vice president of operations for Washington Group International."