Wednesday, October 2, 2002

After reading so much about the unbelievable delays that you and other city officials have imposed on the poor residents that have to travel on Golfview Drive, I decided that I had to see firsthand just how bad you people had messed up.

Here are some of the conclusions from my study:

1. I learned that Golfview is a semicircle that runs from Flat Creek Road to Flat Creek Road.

2. Golfview is slightly more than 1 mile long. There are six stop signs and four speed bumps along the way. I am assuming that everyone will agree that the two stop signs at Flat Creek are pertinent, acceptable, and necessary.

3. The trip from South Flat Creek to North Flat Creek takes three minutes and 30 seconds for a total of 210 seconds. The time is based on a speed limit of 20 mph and obeying all stop signs.

4. The trip form South Flat Creek to Blue Smoke Trail takes one minute and 40 seconds for a total of 100 seconds. The trip from Blue Smoke to North Flat Creek takes one minute and 50 seconds for a total of 110 seconds.

5. If one were to drive at 30 mph rather than 20, as one citizen is now demanding, the time from Blue Smoke Trail to South Flat Creek could be reduced from 100 seconds to 66 and 2/3 seconds a grand savings of 33 and 1/3 seconds. The time from Blue Smoke Trail to North Flat Creek could be reduced from 110 seconds to 73 and 1/3 seconds. This represents a saving of 37 and 2/3 seconds.

6. Of course driving at 40 mph would cut the original times in half, thereby saving 50 and 55 seconds respectively. I think I would prefer leaving home one minute earlier, drive at 20 mph and arrive at work either 10 or 5 seconds earlier.

7. Driving at 60 mph would cut the elapsed time from 100 seconds down to 33 and 1/3 seconds. However, one must consider the expense of hiring Jeff Gordon or Dale Jr.

8. The recent changes should have little or no impact on emergency vehicles: Emergency vehicles would use the south entrance of Golfview to access Blue Smoke Trail and there are no speed breaks between South Flat Creek and Blue Smoke Trail. Also, emergency vehicles do not have to stop for three stop signs between Blue Smoke Trail and Flat Creek Road.

It is truly sad that all the energy and time that went into the meetings, drafting of petitions, arguing before the City Council, was not devoted to some worthwhile cause.

Tom Hamlin

Peachtree City