Members of the Hwy. 74 Alliance continued their beginning efforts to meet the impending challenges of the growth explosion along Ga. Highway 74 and other traffic corridors in the area at the group’s Wednesday meeting.

The meeting began with an update on jurisdictions that have signed on to the Memorandum of Understanding that forms the basis of the alliance. South Fulton Community Improvement District member and developer Jay Knight reported that only three jurisdictions, the City of Tyrone, Fayette County and Fulton County, had yet to adopt the MOU. Fulton County, Knight said, is anticipated to have the measure on its agenda soon. Jurisdictions already participating in the MOU include the cities of Fairburn, Union City, Senoia and Peachtree City along with Coweta County and South Fulton CID.

The primary focus of the Nov. 2 meeting was centered on gaining input for developing a mission statement. Alliance members last month solicited the assistance of consultant Neal Parker in developing the mission statement.

“Last month we begin the solicitation of goals and strategies from the group, to determine the expectations of stakeholders,” he said.

At the Wednesday meeting, Parker brought out ideas he had compiled from participants and solicited additional ideas to help shore up the statement. The mission statement is important, the group concluded, because it provides a sense of direction, identifies the group, maintains focus, helps determine goals and serves as a filter for potential projects.

A significant portion of the meeting centered on identifying the expectations and desired effects that a mission statement would provide. Some of the numerous expectations targeted for possible inclusion in the mission statement included long-term sustainability, cooperation, communication between jurisdictions, improved traffic flow, future potential and shared resources. Other expectations included enhancing community stabilization, improving quality of life, transportation alternatives, inclusion, leverage and balance.

Though still general in nature, the five preliminary components contained in the MOU included:

• Improvements to the Hwy. 74/I-85 interchange and adjacent impacts.

• Consideration of a half-diamond northward on to I-85 from Hwy. 92 and adjacent impacts.

• Implementation of a van-pooling and part and ride lot site identification.

• Representation from the jurisdictions within south metro Atlanta on the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Freight Study.

• Consideration of DOT Interstate Justification Report and Interstate Modification Report studies for area interchanges.

Alliance members will continue the discussion of the mission statement and consider changing the group’s name at the next meeting, Dec. 7 at 11:30 a.m. at the offices of Renaissance at Southpark on Oakley Industrial Boulevard.

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