PTC saves $576K, which must be spent on transportation

The Peachtree City Council has forged ahead with having the Georgia Department of Transportation realign Rockaway Road.

While that will result in a significant cost savings for the city, it will delay the project roughly a year. Initially it was scheduled to start in July or August 2006, but now it will be pushed back to June 2007, likely just before Ga. Highway 74 is widened from Cooper Lighting all the way to Ga. Highway 85.

That delay has state Sen. Mitch Seabaugh a little hot under the collar, according to city officials. Seabaugh, who represents Coweta County, has said he wants the project done as soon as possible.

Rockaway Road will be realigned to use the existing traffic signal at Holly Grove Road. That will allow vehicles easier access to the northbound lanes of Hwy. 74.

Vehicles often back up on Rockaway during morning drive time in particular as commuters work their way toward metro Atlanta.

Peachtree City submitted a letter Wednesday officially asking the DOT to handle all aspects of the project from utility relocation and right of way purchasing to design and construction.

The move will save the city roughly $576,000 that would have come from the city’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for transportation projects. Now that money can be earmarked for other projects on the SPLOST list that might not have been done due to lack of funding.

The decision on how to spend that new-found source of cash will lie with the new City Council which takes over in January. There are three new council members including Cyndi Plunkett, Steve Boone and mayor Harold Logsdon.

All three were present at last week’s council meeting and none of them spoke against the current council’s vote on the matter, which was unanimous except for the absence of councilman Stuart Kourajian.

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