Federal exemption ending for toll-free travel of alternative fuel vehicles in I-85 HOT lanes
The State Road and Tollway Authority is advising Peach Pass customers that a federal exemption allowing certified alternative fuel vehicles, including electric vehicles, to travel toll-free in the Interstate 85 high occupancy toll lanes will end at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 29, 2025.
Starting Sept. 30, 2025, all electric and other alternative fuel vehicles, regardless of prior certification, must pay tolls or meet carpool requirements through the Peach Pass Verify app to use the I-85 HOT lanes without charge. Carpooling with at least three verified occupants will continue to qualify for toll-free travel.
The change, based on federal law 23 U.S. Code 166(b), applies only to the I-85 HOT lanes. All vehicles already pay tolls on the I-75 Northwest Corridor and I-75 South Metro Express Lanes. Peach Pass certified motorcycles will still ride toll-free in the I-85 HOT lanes.
SRTA is urging certified alternative fuel vehicle owners to confirm payment methods in their Peach Pass accounts before the change to avoid violations. The update also applies to HOV lanes statewide, which will require two occupants for alternative fuel vehicles beginning Sept. 30, 2025.
More information is available here or by calling 1-855-PCH-PASS.
— Derek Prall
Origin Hotel Atlanta opens in South Downtown
Origin Hotel Atlanta has opened in South Downtown, offering 122 rooms, a restaurant, retail space, and flexible meeting areas. Owned by The Thrash Group and operated by Tandem Hospitality Group, the boutique property seeks to blends modern design with Southern touches.
On-site dining is available at Social Capitol American Bistro, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a focus on locally sourced ingredients. The lobby showcases a large “ATL” sculpture by Atlanta artist Phil Proctor, alongside works by other regional artists.
Special packages include discounts for Georgia residents, pet-friendly amenities, and in-room yoga kits. Complimentary e-bike rentals will launch in the coming months.
President of Tandem Hospitality Jacob Van Winkle said the hotel aims to be a “launchpad for exploring the city authentically,” welcoming both visitors and locals.
— Derek Prall
Piedmont Park Arts Fest this weekend
The Piedmont Park Arts Festival will return to Midtown Atlanta on Aug. 16 and 17, featuring about 200 artists and a variety of entertainment. Presented by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces, the free event will showcase painters, photographers, sculptors, jewelers, and other artisans. Visitors can also enjoy Feelgood in the Park, a two-day house and disco dance party with local DJs, along with a children’s play area and a range of food and drinks. The festival runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Details are available here.
— Derek Prall
College Football Hall of Fame award scholarships to five HBCU students
The College Football Hall of Fame has named five recipients of its Historically Black College and University scholarships. Each student will receive $5,000 for academic and extracurricular achievements.
The recipients are Samuel Draper, a freshman at Grambling State University; Bryson Easley, a Strake Jesuit College Preparatory senior who will attend Morehouse College; Olivia Germany, a sophomore at Howard University; Jordan Strange, a North Atlanta High School senior who will attend Alabama A&M; and Jadyn Wright, a sophomore at Jackson State University.
Scholarship applicants were required to have a minimum 3.0 GPA, demonstrate financial need, and pursue a major in a STEM field. Preference was given to football student-athletes.
— Derek Prall
South Fulton names Cedric Alexander interim public safety director
The City of South Fulton has appointed Dr. Cedric Alexander as interim managing director of public safety, overseeing police operations and providing secondary oversight of the fire department. Alexander brings more than 40 years of law enforcement and public safety experience, with leadership roles in Miami-Dade County, DeKalb County, and Minneapolis, where he helped launch the city’s first Office of Community Safety.
A former member of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, Alexander holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and is recognized for advancing community-focused policing, de-escalation techniques, and mental health crisis response initiatives.
— Derek Prall
GDOT seeks input on Atlanta-to-Savannah passenger rail line
The Georgia Department of Transportation is collecting feedback from the public about a proposed passenger rail project that could connect Atlanta to Savannah, with stops in cities including Athens, Statesboro, Milledgeville, Macon, and Augusta along the way.
A new survey, which takes about five to 10 minutes to complete, aims to gather data about travel patterns from potential riders. Learn more about the project study and share your input here.
— Grace Donnelly
Vigil to honor slain journalists in Freedom Park
Local journalists and community members will gather in Freedom Park on Saturday, August 16 at 7pm to honor the lives of the more than 260 reporters, photographers, and media workers who have been killed since October 2023 in Israel’s assault on Gaza.
The war has been the single deadliest conflict for members of the press, with more journalists killed in Gaza in less than two years than in the US Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, wars in the former Yugoslavia, and the war in Afghanistan combined, according to Brown University’s Cost of War project.
Participants are encouraged to wear black to the vigil and bring flowers or candles.
— Grace Donnelly
Georgia Organics grant program for small farmers is accepting applications
Farmers can apply to the Georgia Organics Farmer Accelerator Program to receive mini-grants designed to help scale up operations, invest in infrastructure or equipment, or access business planning support. The deadline to apply for strategic capital grants of up to $3,000 is Aug. 22. The deadline for coaching support grants of up to $1,000 is Oct. 1.
Read more about the program and how to apply at the Georgia Organics website.
— Grace Donnelly
The Atlanta-Savannah train line has been talked about for over 30 years with numerous studies already done. Why are we talking about it again? Without support from Georgia, it will never happen and passenger rail is at the bottom of their transportation priorities.
Once Union Pacific controls Norfolk Southern they will(as they did in Illinois between Chicago and St. louis) attempt to extort billions of dollars for any such passenger train route, in Georgia or elsewhere. Because of this fact, the U.S. STB should void any such commerce “transaction”, and given failing modalities of transport in general(e.g. air, rail, inland waterways, highway) should force the U.S. rail industry to “claw back” it’s passenger services conveyed to Amtrak over 50 years ago, and immediately expand such services exponentially…and as a back up, force them also to purchase an e-bike manufacturer(utilizing sodium+ion battery tech) so that if their “hearts aren’t into it” …they will still be saddled with public conveyance roles they agreed to when their rights-of-way were given them by President Abraham Lincoln…just sayin’…!
It’s great to see Georgia investing in both sustainable transportation and local agriculture while also supporting freedom of the press. These initiatives really show how connected community, infrastructure, and human rights can be.