Rockaway realignment underway

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 11:03am
By: Ben Nelms

Accessing Ga. Highway 74 to the north from Rockaway Road has been a long standing vehicular nightmare. The beginning of the Hwy. 74 widening project is now under way and the first construction project will be the realignment of Rockaway so that it ties in to the traffic signal at Holly Grove Road. Weather permitting, that realignment work is expected to begin sometime in January.

The intersection of Hwy. 74 with Rockaway Road is arguably the most problematic and potentially dangerous portion the entire project area that extends from Cooper Circle to Ga. Highway 85. Rockaway’s long lines and tricky left turns onto Hwy. 74 are a testament to that and have been a hallmark of the congestion at the intersection for years.

GDOT District 3 spokesperson Kimberly Larson said that, by contract requirement, the realignment of Rockaway was designated as the first order of business for the widening project. The realignment will encompass 1,900 linear feet and will have Rockaway re-routed to the west to bring it to the traffic signal with Holly Grove Road, Larson said. Weather permitting, work on the realignment should begin sometime in January, she said.

As with the Rockaway realignment area, trees have been cleared along the widening route and a substantial amount of erosion control is in place, Larson added.

The project will create a four-lane roadway with a 24-foot raised median from Cooper Circle to Hwy. 85, spanning a length of 3.3 miles.

Along with the Rockaway realignment, a new bridge will be constructed over Flat Creek to the north east of the existing bridge location and Padgett Road will be relocated 280 feet west of its current location to link with the Hwy. 74/Hwy. 85 intersection.

The widening contract was awarded in September for $16.9 million and is being funded by federal stimulus money through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The project completion date is Dec. 31, 2011.

The projected traffic volumes range from 18,900 vehicles per day in 2009 to an expected volume of 31,100 vehicles per day in 2029.

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TinCan's picture
Submitted by TinCan on Sun, 02/07/2010 - 5:13pm.

Had occasion to be on Rockaway today and found a new obstacle to safely entering Hwy 74. A silt fence has been installed along the south edge of the highway that really blocks your view of southbound 74 traffic. Be extra careful pulling out on to 74.


Submitted by ddodge on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 7:44pm.

Yes, please tell us what is going to happen to the old center? I think at one time, there was a thought process that would put it near the Lake Peachtree dam on some older water system property but never heard anything more about that. Is the Citizen looking into this?

Submitted by ddodge on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 4:49pm.

Found out from the City Manager that there are no plans to relocated the recycle center with the new Rockaway Road project. The interior roadway inside the recycle area has been realigned and a new entrance from the new Rockaway road will be provided. Hope this clears things up.

Submitted by PTCGOIL on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 5:41pm.

Found out from the city manager??? Nope, doesn't clear things up at all.

Submitted by Bonkers on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 6:29pm.

Well, it is like this if you want it cleared up:

No plans at all. The road is to be realigned either at the current recycle center (somewhere) and at the Rockaway new entrance but the recycle center will be somewhere near somewhere.
It really does not matter since I don't know of anyone who wants recycle stuff unless you pay them for taking it and if they don't know where to take it or pick it up then we will have none at either place, Rockaway or where it is now wherever that is.
Clear?

Submitted by PTCGOIL on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 6:53pm.

Well, that's just clear now.

How about the yard waste? The tree branches, shrub and vine pruning and misc. other yard waste? PTC has made no alternate arrangements for disposal of this waste. Ever been to the Rockaway site on a Sat. morning in March, April or May? What we are NOT being told is WE take it to Fayetteville or pay additional fees to our trash companies to pick it up at our house. In addition to the fee that PTC tacked on to our trash bills this past year.

Forget the recycling-that's a joke already.

Submitted by Spyglass on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 9:40pm.

That's what I do...Much easier than hauling it off...

Submitted by PTCGOIL on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 10:00pm.

Send me a photo of your mulch pile. I'm sure the contents must make a pretty picture.

Submitted by Bonkers on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 7:54pm.

That property does now belong to PTC I think but is scheduled for a toy racing car outfit isn't it?

Submitted by ddodge on Sat, 12/26/2009 - 5:47am.

Yea, maybe now I remember that. Hell to get old and have to be reminded about these things. Thanks

Submitted by PTCGOIL on Thu, 12/24/2009 - 12:25pm.

And why is no one reporting on how long before this is closed for good? Shhhh, let's not tell anyone till it's a done deal and everyone has to go to Fayetteville with their yard waste, spewing it all over Hwy 54 along the way. Since it's winter time, and no one is thinking about spring cleanup, let's just not talk about it.

Wouldn't you think, with a cost of OVER 5.5 million U S dollars PER MILE, that some of these govt. funds could have been used to buy another piece of land in PTC for a recycling center? Oh, no, that's right, a new recycling center wasn't part of the "shovel-ready project" that has been planned and mapped out for YEARS now. So forward-thinking, as usual. Way to go, GDOT and PTC govt. planners. You have worked SO WELL together in the past, why should we expect any different this time?

Spear Road Guy's picture
Submitted by Spear Road Guy on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 9:10pm.

I burn my yard debris on my lot. There's no grass, but it keeps the fuel like pine straw from building up in the woods.

Controlled burning is much better for the environment and public safety.

Vote Republican


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