While construction continues on the first phase of the West Fayetteville Bypass and planning in detail is ongoing for phase two, what will become of the third and final phase?

The Fayette County Commission was briefed on the progress of the third phase at its workshop meeting last week.

The third phase, at 4.5 miles in length, will connect the intersection of Ga. Highway 54 and Huiet Road southward to Harp Road. But because so much work is ongoing with the first two phases, the county may have to hire a consultant to handle phase three at some point, officials said.

The county has been working on the conceptual layout of the road path, but lacks “accurate field information” about wetlands and streams, said county Public Works Director Phil Mallon. Without that information, staff cannot as yet provide a definitive recommendation for the route, Mallon said.

The county is working to get a detailed traffic study that will help define how the bypass can be addressed to handle traffic at the nearby schools. Another factor in the bypass location is the proximity of a cemetery at the intersection of Harp and Redwine roads, Mallon said.

The county is also looking at the existing bridges in the area and calculating how many new bridges might be required for the road, Mallon said.

Commission Chairman Jack Smith said the commission would like to make a decision on the road path in December.

“A lot of homeowners down there would like us to make a decision,” Smith said.

The bypass will allow traffic to be diverted south of Fayetteville on Harp Road with the two-lane road connecting at Ga. Highway 92 at West Bridge Road. From that intersection, drivers can continue straight on West Bridge to reach Ga. Highway 138 in Union City to access Interstate 85. They can also go north on Hwy. 92 and take Peters Road to Hwy. 138 or take Oakley Industrial Boulevard to reach the interchange of Ga. Highway 74 and I-85.

Mallon said that some citizens have expressed concern about how the third phase of the bypass will affect their subdivisions on Lester Road. Some of those concerns involved residents’ ability to walk across the street after the bypass is complete.

Commissioner Lee Hearn suggested the county make a better effort to notify homeowners when land surveyors will be going on their property in conjunction with the work for phase three of the bypass. County Administrator Jack Krakeel said the county would send a certified letter by mail to notify those homeowners.

Commissioner Eric Maxwell said one concern is a requirement to spend all encumbered SPLOST funds within five years after the tax collections cease.

“We had a deadline to do what the voters voted to do years ago,” Maxwell said.

Mallon said county staff so far has been working to look at the impact the third bypass phase would have on existing homes, businesses and other structures; trying to minimize curb cuts; and the amount of remnant parcels created. Another factor is the impact on homes which have a certain lifestyle or expectation of quietness on a certain road that may be impacted by the bypass, he said.