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Dunn: Road tax helps PTC

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@thecitizennews.com

“That road crossing will never be done without the passage of a SPLOST.”

That’s the frank assessment of County Commission Chairman Greg Dunn, who believes the traffic snarls at Ga. highways 74 and 54 need the infusion of cash the extra sales tax penny will bring to the county.

Dunn was reacting to an internal memo circulated by Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown that said the intersection is not one of Dunn’s priorities.

Brown said the intersection “was not included for implementation” in the county’s transportation plan.

“That’s just not true. I have been fighting for that project for years,” Dunn said.

In fact, Dunn, who now serves as vice-chairman on the Atlanta Regional Commission’s transportation committee, got the project moved up from 2025 to 2011.

“The engineering will begin in 2009 and right of way acquisition in 2010 with construction to follow,” he said.

But there’s a hitch.

The nearly $7 million project will require $3 million in local funding to match the $3.6 million in state and local funds.

“I can’t see the city of Peachtree City writing a $3 million check for this project and the county can’t pay for it,” he said.

Instead, the funding would come out of the county’s portion of the $131 million generated over a six-year period by the road SPLOST.

The reason the project is so expensive is the fix proposed by Brown would be a “grade separation,” which could be ramps exiting off Hwy. 54 to Hwy. 74, a bridge crossing over Hwy. 54 or a tunnel going underneath the east-west road.

“The DOT doesn’t look too favorably on these types of solutions, which is why I’ve had to fight so hard for the project,” Dunn said.

But without some sort of local funding, Dunn said residents will still be stuck in traffic.

“I just believe SPLOST is the best solution.”