City says it’s needed to protect new path

A new wall erected along Peachtree Parkway to protect cart path users has caught some flak from Peachtree City residents who think it is unsightly.

The concrete-reinforced wall replaces a guardrail that ran along Peachtree Parkway just north of Windgate Road. The wall will protect users of a new cart path that will come from Windgate Road and run parallel to the parkway briefly before spiraling down to the current path which leads to a tunnel underneath the road.

The path redesign is part of a project to prevent the area from overflowing during periods of heavy rain.

The reason for building a wall instead of replacing the guardrail is due to the proximity of the new cart path to the parkway and also recent changes in road design standards, said city spokesperson Betsy Tyler.

The rock-stone design of the barrier is similar to other such walls in town including those at Crosstown Road, Smokerise Plantation and Loring Lane, Tyler said.

The wall is higher than the guardrail, but Tyler said part of the reason for the extra height is to block headlights coming both from the parkway and those on the cart path, which can lead to motorists being confused.

The project, which was awarded to Guthrie Construction, has not moved as fast as city officials hoped, so the city plans to pursue liquidated damages so it can recoup some of its funds for the unnecessary delays, officials said.

The project is being funded with money from the city’s stormwater utility.