Georgia Needs an Autobahn

Why I-16 is Perfect for Speed Tourism

Interstate 16 runs for 167 miles between Macon and Savannah, Georgia. It does not need to exist. Its rural stretches see only 15,000 to 20,000 vehicles a day, about a tenth as many vehicles as transit the rural areas between Macon and Atlanta. The course of I-16 duplicates US-80. Anyone who wants to tour Middle Georgia at 55 or 65 miles per hour can do so on US-80. The only purpose of I-16 is to get people from Macon to Savannah quickly. This is why I’m calling upon my legislature to declare I-16 the Georgia Autobahn. Specifically, there should be no speed limit on the rural stretch between milepost 7 and milepost 151.

If this proposal conjures images of mangled cars and early funerals, think again. German autobahns are safe. There is only one autobahn fatality per 1.7 billion passenger miles. Only 12% of German driving fatalities occur on autobahns, compared with 60% on other rural roads. Risk-taking is not risk-free: autobahn segments with no speed limit have 25% to 75% more fatalities than speed-restricted portions. However, the thrill of fast driving is certainly safer than drinking or eating too much pizza. Unrestricted autobahns are five times safer than other rural roads in Germany.

Interstate 16 is a better road for high-speed driving than its German cousins. Its lanes are 30 centimeters narrower, but its shoulders are substantially wider. There is not a single sharp curve along its entire length. I-16's median is at least 36 feet wide, far safer than the Jersey barriers used on most autobahns. Furthermore, anyone who doesn’t like high-speed driving can get where they need on US-80. Asking Southern safetyists to take a small detour so that we can have one road for automotive thrills would be a fair compromise.

Local residents who have no desire to drive fast would benefit. The area between Macon and Savannah is a rural backwater with little tourism. Speed tourism could attract enthusiasts from throughout North America. Macon is only 70 miles from the Atlanta airport, a one-hour drive at the current speed limit. Rental car companies could offer a range of luxury rentals just like in Germany. Northeastern tourists who never thought of spending a night in Dublin or Statesboro might do so to hit the Georgia autobahn at first light. The interstate could even charge non-locals a stiff toll, with benefits directed to nearby communities.

American life needs a place for risk-taking. Because of its location and the existence of alternative routes, I-16 is simply perfect.