Friday, April 18, 2003

PTC Mayor Brown wants regional approach to traffic problems

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown's One World vision of regional cooperation took another step forward Tuesday afternoon.

Representatives of five local governments sat down together to try and find a solution to the increasing traffic problem on Ga. Highway 74.

"We're all impacted. The road is vital to our economic health and quality of life," Brown said.

The road runs from south Fayette County to Interstate 85, and is becoming more and more clogged.

While the road does not run through Senoia's city limits, city administrator Murray McAfee said the road is vital for residents who commute to Peachtree City or Atlanta.

"Our growth rate is going to be 100 percent in the next five years. We're looking at 900 more housing units on Rockaway Road," he said.

McAfee presented a copy of a recently completed traffic study by Street Smarts to the government leaders.

"We've got a real serious problem now. It says we warrant a traffic light at Rockaway and 74 now," he said.

Brown agreed, and said there was the potential for a developer who wants to develop a subdivision near the intersection to realign Rockaway Road with the traffic light currently at the Publix shopping center on Hwy.74.

Brown said he was also exploring the possibility of a traffic light near Panasonic, that would allow workers at Peachtree City's biggest industry better access to their job.

Because the road is two-lane from its intersection with Ga. Highway 54 to Ga. Highway 85, it provides challenges.

"It's very difficult to attract industry when one of the main roads is two lanes, Brown said.

Other leaders at the traffic summit had differing views about the corridor.

Tyrone's city manager Barry Amos said his town has no more plans for curb cuts along the state highway and said the town already has plans in place to protect the corridor from massive growth.

Just up the road in Fairburn, city manager Jim Williams had a differing view of his portion of the road.

"We've always looked at this corridor as commercial, but well-done and well-planned commercial," he said.

Some of the other leaders said Fairburn had definitely cornered the market on gas stations.

Fulton County Commissioner Bill Edwards said he was committed to keeping the corridor unclogged since it represents such a vital transportation corridor for people in his district.

In the end, Brown got the leaders to agree to hold a future meeting with planners of the various jurisdictions to try and figure out a regional solution for the highway.

"Whatever any jurisdiction does, it will have an impact on this road. I just think it will be easier to get things done with our legislators if we take a regional approach," he said.