The West Fayetteville Bypass Coalition has made requests to the Fayette County Commissioners three times to be provided with specific information pertaining to the West Fayetteville Bypass/Parkway. The requests were made pursuant to the Georgia Open Records Act. We were specifically looking for a detailed traffic study and environmental impact statement that would justify the Bypass. This is required when the county applies to the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers for a 404 Wetlands Permit. The first time we made the request to the Commissioners, we were directed to the Office of the County Public Works Dept. There, we found various and sundry files to search, but were unable to find either a detailed traffic study or an environmental assessment justifying the least damaging alternative route. We assumed those documents did not exits, and therefore the county would be in no position to obtain a 404 Wetlands Permit to cross the proposed streams and water recharge areas under requirements of the Clean Water Act.

Later, we were informed through other sources that there does exist a very flawed traffic study that was done by URS, Inc. some years back. On June 5, 2009, we again requested information relating to environmental and traffic studies under the Georgia Open Records Acts. Once again, we were told we must go to the Transportation Dept. to view the files, but this time, we had only requested TITLES of files and documents in order that we might determine those considered by the Commissioners in approving the project. Since we DID NOT consider the county's response legally sufficient in terms of identifying files, we made a second request on June 9 that that the county reconsider its response as legally insufficient to the scope of information requested. We explained that the county had an obligation to identify the documents as the federal government does when Freedom of Information requests are received. We requested the first response within three days, but never received any acknowledgment to the second June request, which we also specified as 3 days, the response time allowed by law.

Just before the commissioners meeting on June 11, 2009 about twenty-five of our members delivered individual requests for the Commissioners to postpone their decision on the final route until our request for the records pertaining to environmental and traffic studies was granted. Also, Mr. Steve Smithfield of our group requested the same information during the Public Comment period of the meeting, and specifically pointed out that all of the many public comments made relating to the bypass at Commissioners meetings had been negative. All of that was ignored.

Two commissioners expressed condolences when the bypass alignment was approved, but at no time would they ever acknowledge the traffic and environmental concerns of the public. We have heard no more.

I wish they could move the bypass several miles over and take it straight through the house of my trashy neighbor, who painted her house yellowish-green and Pepto Bismol pink, and then route it over another neighbor who parks his truck in his yard -- or take mine so that I can move to a better neighborhood.

I live close to but not on the proposed bypass route. The major concern I have is there are at least 3 elementary/middle schools ON the bypass route. Creating a "High-speed" bypass through three school zones is ludacrous, at best. How many children will be put in harms way to make some politician's legacy come true?

It doesn't matter who is in office! The city gets FED funds for doing this. This road is being built so that when the time comes (during a quarantine due to "swine" flu perhaps), the city can be locked down.

In Liberty,

DarthDubious

Damn shame. But this waste is what we have come to expect from government at all levels, top to bottom. Trouble is, they expect us to pay for this kind of madness and it's getting tough when you don't have a job any longer.

Fayetteville is already gone, PTC is going downhill fast and this bypass will just create more headaches county wide. It's hard loving to call it home anymore.