By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

A recent court decision means relief for Fayette County's growing traffic snarls will be delayed still further, officials say.

In a lawsuit filed by environmental groups, the U. S. Court of Appeals has ruled that “grandfathering” of road improvements — continuing those that were in the planning stages before the federal government halted projects in counties that don't comply with air quality standards — is illegal.

Fayette is one of 13 metro Atlanta counties that are in noncompliance with the federal air standards, but local transportation officials managed to get three projects grandfathered: widening of Ga. Highway 74 south of Ga. Highway 54, building a bridge over the railroad at Hwy. 54 and Huddleston Road, and widening of Hwy. 54 from McDonough Road to Clayton County. Now those projects are delayed again, but county transportation director Lee Hearn said this week the delay may not be too long.

“Hopefully by next spring we'll have a conforming RTP [regional transportation plan],” said Hearn. Once the Atlanta Regional Commission completes an RTP that complies with the federal standards, Fayette can submit its local transportation improvement plan and projects can move forward, he said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Paul Coverdell has written to county commissioners in the 13 affected counties asking for information and looking for ways to get around the court ruling.

“While Georgia Department of Transportation officials report that no official interpretation of the ruling has been generated, it is my assumption that the ruling will in fact prohibit funding for the approximately 70 road projects in metro Atlanta,” Coverdell said. “This will obviously have ramifications for the area.”

The senator asked for information about how the delay might affect counties economically, and any suggestions for dealing with the situation.

“It's an educational process right now to determine what our options are,” said Alex Albert, a Coverdell aide. He said Coverdell is working to set up meetings between the federal Environmental Protection Agency and local officials to seek compromise.

“There may be some legislative solution,” he added. “or we may just have to rely on the ARC to develop a complying plan.”

Fayette county administrator Billy Beckett said county staff members have assembled information and sent it to Coverdell.

“You don't have to be a rocket scientist to come out during peak hours and see the problems,” said Beckett. “Any delay is going to be harmful to us.

“We do appreciate the efforts of those who are trying to reach some reasonable position,” said Beckett. “But predicated on everything I hear, I don't know that Congress has the political will to modify things very much.”

Fayette officials are hoping the ARC will come up with a viable plan by the end of this year, he added.