Friday, February 7, 2003
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Friday, February 7, 2003 |
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Mayor's address: PTC needs to think about future of 54/74 intersection By JOHN MUNFORD In the annual "State of the City" address to the Peachtree City Rotary Club, Mayor Steve Brown laid out several challenges the city will face in the coming year. Brown also invited citizens to work with the City Council, even if they disagreed with the body's actions in the past year. "Let me say that 2003 is a new year and I invite you to work with us," Brown told the Rotarians. The city faces continued budget concerns after cutting $1 million from this year's budget and cut more projects to provide $635,000 in funds for road projects, the mayor said. Next year's budget process won't likely be as easy, he added. Traffic will continue to be a key issue, and Brown wants area jurisdictions to meet and plan the changes for the intersection of Ga. highways 54 and 74, which will need to be expanded once both arteries are widened to the west and the south in coming years. Brown said he didn't want the intersection to become "a 12-lane broad intersection in all directions and have to rip out our landscaped medians." "I can assure you, if we fail to act soon, that the commute from Peachtree City to Interstate 85 will increase by 25 minutes within the next four to eight years," Brown said. "Commuters from Coweta, Fayette, Peachtree City, Tyrone and Fairburn will choke Hwy. 74 down to a crawl unless we begin working together today." Brown also lauded the work of state Sen. Mitch Seabaugh and Fayette County Commission Chairman Greg Dunn to get $5 million in the state budget to acquire land to widen Hwy. 74 south to four lanes. "We now have unparalleled cooperation at the local, county and state levels," Brown said. "This is good for Peachtree City and it is good for Fayette County." State regulations that will force the city to address stormwater treatment issues must be addressed soon, Brown said. He also indicated the city might consider creating its own stormwater utility to operate the system. Brown also mentioned he has given a proposal to Fayette Chamber of Commerce Chairman Jim Pace that would help local businesses compete with large "big box" retail stores. "The new chairman and I have agreed to break holes in the ice and set our goals on leading our local businesses and industries toward the ocean of financial success," Brown said. It is also important for the city and other jurisdictions to "take any steps necessary to protect our schools." "Our school system is probably the most valuable asset that we have in Fayette County," Brown said.
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