Governor: 2013 Marks End of Georgia 400 Toll

Gov. Nathan Deal announced Thursday that he would have the state pay off its bond debt by Dec. 1, 2013, and then move quickly to remove the Georgia 400 toll before the beginning of 2014.

In a press release from the governor's website, Deal added that this move would stop toll collections for years earlier than previously planned. Still, the State Road and Tollway Authority will have to approve it first.

"Ga. 400 commuters have paid more than their fair share already, and this is the earliest we can bring it down without paying a penalty for early repayment of the bonds,” Deal said in a press release. “When the Ga. 400 toll went up, the state of Georgia promised commuters that it wasn’t forever. If we don’t keep that promise, we lose the faith of the people.

"We face many challenges when it comes to paying for new capacity, particularly in the Atlanta region. There are no easy answers, no secret pots of money, but it is imperative that governments build the trust of their people. As your governor, I will keep the promises I make to you.”

-- Do you believe Gov. Nathan Deal? Does this move have anything to do with the upcoming TSPLOST vote? Tell us in the comments below.

The Georgia 400 toll was supposed to come down in 2011, but the state then issued new bonds for improvements. The broken promise stirred up strong emotions from taxpayers and commuters. As the debate intensifies about the upcoming TSPLOST referendum vote, skeptical citizens cite the Georgia 400 toll as a reason to doubt the promises of TSPLOST.

As a candidate for governor, Deal had promised to end it when he got into office, but the new bonds tied it up until 2017. Deal said it can be paid off at the three-year mark without a penalty, and because the $40 million in new bonds was issued on Dec. 1, 2010, that mark is reached on Dec. 1, 2013. The state will then need a little time to dismantle the toll gates and restructure the area, according to the press release.

"As I have said many times before: I inherited a situation where we could not bring down the gates immediately, and we face a situation where we would have to pay a penalty for early repayment," Deal said in the press release. "This timeline gives commuters a finish line, while still allowing us to meet our obligations.

"Moving forward, we’ll need to continue to work on long-term solutions to congestion in the 400 corridor. And, I look forward to doing that in a transparent fashion that commuters can trust.”