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Big roadblock ahead

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

In a few weeks, local weekend travelers will be inconvenienced by the massive lane reconstruction on Interstate 85 near Ga. Highway 74.

The southbound access ramp leading from I-85 to Hwy. 74 will close on the weekends of June 10-12 and June 17-19, according to Karlene Barron of the Georgia Department of Transportation. As typical with this project, the closings will begin at 9 p.m. Friday and last through 5 a.m. Monday morning, just in time to get out of the way for commuter traffic.

Fayette motorists may want to use an alternate route, Barron suggested, because traffic will likely back up significantly since cars will have to merge into one lane to get past Hwy. 74. That’s because the project takes up two lanes at a time, and the interstate narrows from four lanes to three just past the Hwy. 74 overpass, Barron said.

The prognosis doesn’t get much better for the following two weekends, when the northbound access ramp to I-85 will be closed as work begins on the northbound lanes, Barron said. Those dates are subject to change, particularly if crews are slowed by inclement weather, she noted.

One possible shortcut is to exit at Hwy. 138, go left and then turn right onto Oakley Industrial Boulevard, which goes all the way back to Hwy. 74 just south of the I-85 interchange. Motorists can also go right onto Hwy. 138 and then go left onto U.S. 29 into downtown Fairburn, then left onto Ga. Highway 92 and then right onto Oakley Industrial Boulevard.

The best advice, is to avoid traveling in the area entirely if you possibly can, Barron said.

The project will be on hold this weekend due to the Memorial Day holiday.

A representative for RAM Development, which owns the property that was formerly the location of Line Creek Baptist Church, said Best Buy officials were adamant about the presence of the blue wedge design.

“It just stands out like a sore thumb,” Payton said.

Commissioner Marty Mullin noted that the commission didn’t talk about the blue wedge when the plans were broached at a previous workshop, but he expressed his extreme lack of regard for the plan. When the commission tried to round up two volunteers to work with city staff, RAM and Best Buy officials to improve the plan, Mullin declined to participate, indicating he was too worked up over the issue.

Mullin pointed out that the Best Buy “ticket” sign doesn’t appear to meet the city’s sign ordinance either.

“The door is seven feet tall,” Mullin said of the entryway, “and the B in Best Buy is a six-foot high letter.”

The blue wedge “should be considered part of the sign,” said Commissioner Ray Green.

Mullin also decried the handling of golf cart traffic on the site.

Payton also noted that the proximity to the church’s cemetery could cause a problem for Best Buy because of the location of its loading dock and dumpster. It is possible that a deed restriction could be used to keep activity in that area from occurring during a funeral, officials said.