County seeks no sidewalks on East Fayette bypass

Tue, 09/18/2007 - 4:11pm
By: John Munford

The Fayette County Commission is looking to save $1.5 million by asking the DOT to leave off sidewalks from the upcoming East Fayette bypass project.

The four-lane highway will be built in two phases: the first extending from South Jeff Davis Drive to Ga. Highway 54. The second phase will go from Hwy. 54 all the way up to Ga. Highway 279.

The sidewalks, if required, would be built on both sides of the road, explained David Jaeger of Mallett Engineering. Though $1.5 million is quite a sum, if the county were to change the sidewalks to an 8-foot path on one side of the road, the cost would rise to $2.1 million, Jaeger said. The increased cost for the path plan would be in part due to the need for a bridge over Morning Creek, Jaeger said.

Commission Chairman Jack Smith said the county needs to be watchful of its spending on the project, which is not likely to start until 2011.

The cost of the project was recently estimated at $61 million, which will be funded in part from revenues from the county’s transportation special purpose local option sales tax and the remainder from federal funds.

The bypass is designed to help alleviate drive-time congestion through the heart of Fayetteville, as Ga. Highway 85 is used heavily by commuters going north into Atlanta.

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zoes's picture
Submitted by zoes on Wed, 09/19/2007 - 11:59am.

Is this bypass going to be Jeff Davis and Hwy314? Cause we already have 4-lane roads from 54 to 279 (Jeff Davis and Hwy 314). I am very unclear on what easements/eminant domain this bypass will entail.


eodnnaenaj1's picture
Submitted by eodnnaenaj1 on Wed, 09/19/2007 - 12:31pm.

this concerns me, because it will be built very close to my home!! Which I'll never be able to sell with this road out back. If you took a map and drew a line from S. Jeff Davis (where Winn Dixie used to be), to Hwy 54, the line going near the McDonough Road Baptist Church, and I think takes out part of the Links, that is what the plan was last time I asked. I'm not sure, nor concerned with the second phase. Basically it is County Line Road, then cross country to Hwy 54. I'm not happy . . . had truly hoped some land would have been declared ???? what do they call it, wetlands preserve or something . . .guess not . . .


zoes's picture
Submitted by zoes on Wed, 09/19/2007 - 1:05pm.

How does going so far to the southeast of the city help those people clogging downtown Fayetteville?? It won't do a bit of good, except to allow for more developments to be built. Most of the people coming through downtown live going toward the south end of Hwy 74 and south of Fayetteville (Brooks/Hampton/etc). What kind of study was done? I see Tara Boulevard all over again.... This makes no sense to me at all. After they 4-lane County Line, they will want to 4-lane Inman and then South Jeff Davis. That part of the county is very nice and does NOT need any 'development' or 'help'. I hope things changed since you asked about it!! I watch the agendas on the commission meetings and have not, in the last year, noticed any of this being discussed. Did I miss it??


eodnnaenaj1's picture
Submitted by eodnnaenaj1 on Wed, 09/19/2007 - 1:20pm.

I think this does include Inman Road, as it stands now. Forgive me if I don't have all the details, I'm only concerned with my backyard!! Let me see if I can find the site I was just looking at, and I'll give you the hook-up.

There was a day I was in my woods and noticed surveying had been done, little plastic ribbons everywhere. In a few days we received a letter about this, I called the lawyer or representative, I forget now, to find out what the devil was going on. Most of my knowledge and information comes from that call.

You are right, it is a nice area, which is why we moved there, kinda country, but close enough to shopping, but I can already see the signs and I'm not pleased. There is a new subdivision going in on County Line Road, and it looks like it will be one of those 300 houses on 5 acres. It is very sad.

Wonder if I could sell my land to the county, they can use it for a rest area or something, hmmmmm, wonder who I need to talk to!


eodnnaenaj1's picture
Submitted by eodnnaenaj1 on Wed, 09/19/2007 - 1:23pm.

http://www.fayettecountyga.gov/finance/splostpage.htm

You will have to cut and paste this link, I don't know how to do the fancy stuff! Look at the bypass information and you'll see maps.


zoes's picture
Submitted by zoes on Wed, 09/19/2007 - 1:42pm.

That was very informative. What I see is a new road for Clayton Countians to use. A bypass should be placed to the west of Fayetteville proper for Fayette Countians to benefit from their own tax dollars. THis is the stupidist place for a bypass. I also note that their little maps don't show lakes and creeks and such. Guess I'll be attending the meetings and doing all that political crap again. Yuck.


eodnnaenaj1's picture
Submitted by eodnnaenaj1 on Wed, 09/19/2007 - 1:57pm.

on the lakes and creeks. I know there is property on the east side of County Line Road, that there are several lakes and greenspace; we were hoping would be declared a preserve or something. I was told studies would be done in order not to disturb nature areas.


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