By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

Ed Vanderslice and Joe O'Connell say they'll keep pushing Fayette County to abandon about a mile at the southern end of Padgett Road that is bordered only by their properties.

Vanderslice owns about 827 acres on both sides of the gravel road, which dead-ends into O'Connell's 98-acre tract.

Padgett Road runs off Ga. Highway 85 near Starr's Mill.

Teens drive the road, which has a sudden bend near its end, way too fast, said Vanderslice, adding that he crosses the roadway at several places on farm equipment as he works his land. He lives on the acreage, and is farming its timber, he said.

In addition to safety concerns, the two men said, people also take advantage of the dead-end road occupied by only two home sites to dump all manner of old appliances, household items and even toxic substances. And teens treat the area as a lovers' lane, leaving litter in their wake, they added.

“I really thought this was going to be a no-brainer,” said a frustrated Vanderslice after the Fayette County Commission voted 3-2 last week to ignore the men's request that the county abandon the roadway so they can close it to traffic.

Jack Krakeel, director of the county Department of Fire and Emergency Services, said he couldn't recommend abandonment of the road because county fire trucks would need to use it if either of the men's houses ever caught on fire.

“This is a significant length of road that we're talking about,” said Krakeel, “and our vehicles weigh 40 to 50,000 pounds.” As long as the county is maintaining the road, he feels better about being able to use it, Krakeel said.

O'Connell said when he builds his home at the southern end of the road, he not only will maintain the road but also will install a pump in a pond right next to the house so fire trucks won't have to haul the water in.

Commissioner Herb Frady pointed out that there is an abandoned railroad track bed at the end of Padgett Road next to O'Connell's home site, and he wondered whether the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority might want to use that right of way for future rapid rail service from Senoia to Atlanta.

“I'd just as soon wait and see if they do anything with that,” he said.

Commissioner Glen Gosa argued that the men's request is “a good deal for the county” because once it's abandoned, the county won't have to maintain or patrol the road section. He voted against the motion to take no action, along with Commissioner Greg Dunn.

Commissioner Linda Wells made the motion, and said abandoning the road would create a liability problem. “We can't set that precedent of putting people in harm's way,” she said.

After the meeting, Vanderslice said he believes the county places itself in a greater position of liability by hanging onto the road than it would by abandoning it.

“I had just crossed the road the other day when a car came around the curve just flying,” he said. “If he had gotten there three seconds earlier, he or I or both of us would have been dead,” he said.

“We'll keep coming back,” O'Connell promised.