Fayette County Road Improvments???? (Atlanta, Peachtree City: attorney, homes, construction)

[pickleswanson]

I have heard several rumors but can't find information to back them up. Can anyone verify that HWY 74 south of PTC is being four-laned and moved to follow hwy 85 connector through Brooks, HWY 92 is being four-laned throughout the county and moved yet again to follow Tyone-Palmetto Road in order to better accommidate traffic to and from the metro that is still in the planning process @ I-85, and lastly HWY 20 being extended from the ATL Motor Speedway through Woolsey and ending just above Brooks at the new HWY 74 improvements? If anyone has any information to show proof of this, please let me know.

[gottaGetOut]

Hi PS:

Rt 74 looks like a warzone on either side with the current road project. ALOT of people have lost the backyards, and its absolutely inexcusable. You *know* they bought/built those homes there with no expectation of THIS. During the tree removal process, you should have seen the wood chips and such that was all over people's roofs. Sad. Disillusioning. Contractors and developers are Tree Satan.

Isn't GDot just so unhelpful . . .

from the Fayette Citizen:

DOT schedules Hwy. 74 detours
Tue, 05/29/2007 - 5:59pmBy: John Munford
Starting Friday, June 1, sections of Ga. Highway 74 will be closed three weekends in a row as the contractor installs cross drains under the roadway, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The first weekend will feature a detour of the roadway between TDK Boulevard and Dividend Drive. Traffic will be rerouted on those two side streets for the entire weekend.

The second and third weekends, starting June 8 and June 15, will see the closing of Hwy. 74 between Kelly Drive and TDK Boulevard. Traffic will be rerouted onto those roads for the entirety of both weekends, it is anticipated.

The detours will be well-marked with large signs blocking the roadway and message boards used to warn motorists ahead of each detour, officials said.

“The Georgia Department of Transportation appreciates your patience and cooperation during this construction time,” said spokesman Barry Hancock. “We realize that state route 74 is a highly traveled route and important to Peachtree City residents. Widening of Ga. Highway 74 is in full swing and progressing well.”

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GRTA seeks dismissal of TDK suit
Thu, 05/10/2007 - 6:12pmBy: John Munford
PTC wants 2 lanes, not 4 on Line Creek bridge

The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority is asking a Fulton County judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Peachtree City challenging GRTA’s requirement for a four-lane bridge across Line Creek for the TDK extension into unincorporated Coweta County.

GRTA claims Peachtree City has no legal standing to challenge its decision, which was tied to the massive McIntosh Village development planned for unincorporated Coweta just across Line Creek from Peachtree City.

Peachtree City contends that it shouldn’t be held responsible for implementing traffic improvements connected to the development since it has no statutory authority over any part of the 3,100 home development. According to GRTA, if the city doesn’t follow through on those traffic improvements by the time the last home is built, GRTA can withhold state and federal funds from other transportation projects in Peachtree City.

City officials have opposed building a four-lane bridge for the planned extension of TDK Boulevard when the city only has enough right-of-way in hand for two lanes. The city is asking for GRTA’s decision to be overturned by the court.

In its legal filings, GRTA claims the city has no legal standing to challenge the lawsuit in large part because the agency gets its powers from state legislation.

Mayor Harold Logsdon has said he doesn’t think the TDK extension needs to be four lanes because Peachtree City couldn’t handle all the resulting traffic. At the same time, Logsdon has said he thinks the road is necessary to keep Ga. Highway 54 from being overburdened with traffic from McIntosh Village and potentially other residential development that could occur in the area.

The lawsuit could jeopardize whether the road extension will be built at all, as the city’s right-of-way is due to revert back to Pathway Communities at the end of Dec. 14, 2009. Officials have said it will take two years to build the bridge, and construction is not likely to begin until the lawsuit is settled and officials know whether the bridge will be two or four lanes wide.

Some Peachtree City residents are worried that completing the TDK extension, known in Coweta as the Vernon “Mutt” Hunter Parkway, would create traffic havoc as McIntosh Village would use the new road to reach Ga. Highway 74 in Peachtree City.

McIntosh Village has been approved by the Coweta County Commission and includes 3,100 homes in addition to 600,000 sq. ft. of retail space and additional office space.

The answer to the suit was filed on GRTA’s behalf by the office of Georgia Attorney General Thurbert E. Baker.

Developer Tom Reese has committed to paying $900,000 towards the cost of the four-lane bridge.




from the AJC:
Drivers can expect detours on Ga. 74 three weekends in June

By Abby Brunks
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/17/07
One of Peachtree City's major roads will be closed for three weekends in June for drainpipe installation.

Ga. 74 south of Ga. 54 will be closed to traffic beginning at 10 p.m. Friday, June 1, and should reopen by 6 a.m. Monday, June 4. The same pattern should be repeated on the weekends of June 8 and 15, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The DOT is also widening Ga. 74 and reports that work is progressing well.


Find this article at:
Drivers can expect detours on Ga. 74 three weekends in June | ajc.com (broken link)

[pickleswanson]

Well I'm glad that the road closures are projected to be completed before I return home for vacation at the end of June. Makes me wonder if I really want to move back home once my military contract is over. I'm really hoping that the road improvement projects aren't true. I have property in both Tyrone and Brooks that could very possibly be directly affected by some of these suggested projects.