Friday, July 29, 2005 | ||
Bad Links? | Leaders coming together to solve traffic problemsBy BEN NELMS The unprecedented population growth in South Fulton, Fayette and Coweta counties is forecast to continue for decades. In its wake, a group of nine jurisdictions that have a stake in the increasing traffic congestion along Ga. Highway 74 and I-85 are looking to ban together to work with Georgia Dept. of Transportation (DOT) to resolve the issues before the problem becomes completely unmanageable. It was in the spirit of mutual concern that the Hwy. 74 Alliance was born. Far from a common alliance, the group includes Fulton, Fayette and Coweta counties, the South Fulton Community Improvement District and the municipalities of Fairburn, Tyrone, Union City, Peachtree City and Senoia. The alliance met July 21 in conjunction with DOT representatives to begin work on a multi-jurisdictionaly Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The impact area affected puts the alliance in DOT Districts 3 and 7. The MOU is pretty clear and involves multiple players. I havent seen nine jurisdictions come together on their own accord. I think this is really a first, Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown said at the outset of the meeting. The initial conversation during the July 21 meeting concerned MOU components that addressed needed enhancements to the I-85/Hwy. 74 interchange, implementation of a half-diamond at I-85 and Ga. Highway 92 and implementation of a van-pooling and park and ride lot. A discussion between stakeholders from the affected jurisdictions and DOT representatives resulted in the preliminary agreement of five MOU projects. Those projects, though not definitive at the present time, represented the impending traffic congestion along I-85 from Flat Shoals Road to Gullat and the surface streets that would logically be affected by the burgeoning population. Though still general in nature, the five preliminary projects arrived at by meetings end included improvements to the Hwy. 74/I-85 interchange and adjacent impacts; consideration of a half-diamond northward on to I-85 from Hwy. 92 and adjacent impacts; implementation of a van-pooling and part and ride lot site identification; representation from the jurisdictions within South Metro Atlanta on the Atlanta Regional Commissions Regional Freight Study and consideration of DOT IJR/IMT studies for area interchanges. DOT has historically referred to Interstate Access Requests as either Interstate Justification Reports (IJR's) or Interstate Modification Reports (IMR's). An IJR is a request for approval to add a new interchange on the Interstate System. DOT's Office of Planning prepares IJR's and submits them to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). An IMR is a request for approval to add or modify access points to an existing Interstate interchange. DOT's Preconstruction Division is responsible for preparing IMR's. Were talking about regional issues so you should provide a cohesive unit through the MOU that would provide the support needed to bring it forward, said DOT District Traffic Operations MAnager Harry Graham. Alliance members agreed that having each jurisdiction adopt official participation in the effort during the next few months would be required to get the Highway 74 Alliance proposal to the General Assembly by the next session. Peachtree City council members were the first to consider an active role in the Highway 74 Alliance. Their participation became official later in the day July 21 when the council voted unanimously to support the alliance. That groundwork was reinforced four days later when Fairburn Mayor Betty Hannah reported on the alliances July 21 meeting. There is a real need to go ahead and be proactive to get some things done before were in trouble, Hannah told council members at the citys July 25 meeting. After all, the traffic situation affects all of us. The Highway 74 Alliance will meet again August 25 at 11:30 a.m. at the offices of Renaissance at South Park on Oakley Industrial Boulevard. |
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