Upset residents who hoped to leave the County Commission chambers Thursday night feeling better about the West Fayetteville Bypass went home dejected.

The discussion started off on a strange note.

“Why is this even on the agenda?” said Commissioner Eric Maxwell.

Chairman Jack Smith that the issue of the bypass had already gone through public hearings.

“It is not our intentions to discuss the merit of the road,” he added.

Instead, Smith said the County Commission would only hear about possible safety concerns.

The bypass is part of the county’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that is meant to help traffic choke-points throughout the county.

Earlier this year, Fayette County Public Works Director Phil Mallon said the bypass features three phases.

The first phase starts in the Huiet Road/Lester Road area and proceeds north across Ga. Highway 54 and ties into Sandy Creek Road.

The second phase extends from Sandy Creek Road to Ga. Highway 92 in the area of Westbridge Road.

The funding for both phases comes from $50 million in local funds. The final phase begins in the Huiet Road/Lester Road area and extends south to Redwine and requires state and federal funds to complete.

The county is currently in the right-of-way acquisition phase for the first phase, with a possible construction start date for later this spring and a possible completion date of 18 months.

Tom Waller, who lives at 639 Sandy Creek Road, said the bypass would bring more large trucks to the area and cause dangerous intersections.

Residents said they were not properly informed about the road, but any resident who tried to talk about changing the road’s route was met with stern looks from the commissioners and a warning from the marshal to only address safety issues.

Gordon Furr said this was part of the county’s plan to have high-density development in the corridor, and alluded to the county’s previous measure of setting standards and monitoring community septic systems.

Smith did say there was no intent to four-lane the bypass or Sandy Creek Road, but said the county was acquiring right-of-way for four lanes in case future commissions saw the need to increase the lanes.

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