By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

State and federal agencies and environmental groups have settled their lawsuit over road building projects, but nothing will change for Fayette County.

According to a settlement involving the state and federal departments of transportation, the Atlanta Regional Commission and several environmental organizations, road improvement projects that were already under construction when the suit began can proceed.

Neither of Fayette's major road projects — widening of Ga. Highway 74 from Ga. Highway 85 to Ga. Highway 54, and widening of Hwy. 54 from McDonough Road to the Clayton County line — were far enough along to meet that test.

“I don't much like it,” said Fayette County Commission Chairman Harold Bost, who sits on the ARC Board of Directors. “But there wasn't anything we could have done about it.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency halted all road construction in the Atlanta area two years ago after the region failed to meet EPA's air quality standards, but exempted 61 projects — including the two in Fayette — that were far along in the planning process or were underway.

Environmental groups like the Georgia Conservancy filed suit to stop construction on the “grandfathered” projects, a suit that has been rendered moot by the settlement.

Atlanta Regional Commission spokesman Joe Padilla said Tuesday that the agency is still working on a 20-year transportation plan that it hopes will meet EPA's environmental standards.

“There's a lot to look forward to for Fayette County in that plan,” said Padilla. Not only will the two road widening projects probably be approved, but also the county is in line for a commuter rail line, a county-wide bus system and the use of extended high occupancy vehicle lanes on Interstate 85, he said.

“It will be a plan that will ensure mobility for the region for the next 25 years,” Padilla added.

In addition, the plan will include more than $450 million for bike path and similar projects throughout the region. Fayette has been working for years for approval of a bike/cart path along Redwine Road between Peachtree City and Fayetteville. ARC hopes to have the plan in place by March.

Officials of the agency have learned from the lawsuit, Padilla said. “It's certainly something we don't ever want to see happen again,” he said.

By broadening the scope of transportation planning to include more public and alternative transportation projects, he said, local counties can avoid seeing traffic pile up while road improvements are put on hold.

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