It was essentially a housekeeping issue, but one that will lead to significant changes in traffic patterns in coming years on Fayetteville’s north side.
The City Council last week acted on two intergovernmental agreements with Fayette County, one of which affirms the Hood Avenue/Ga. Highway 92 Realignment project while the other cancels the Lafayette Avenue extension project.
The Hood Avenue/Hwy. 92 Realignment project will relocate the traffic signal at Ga. Highway 92 and Glynn Street a short distance to the south at Hood Avenue.
A roundabout will connect Hood Avenue to Hwy. 92 on the west side of Glynn Street. The project also includes extending Hood Avenue east across Glynn Street along the south side of Hudson Plaza where it will link with Kathi Avenue and Jeff Davis Drive to the east.
Church Street will also be extended from Georgia Avenue to Kathi Avenue.
And finally, a new road will be extended on the north side of the realigned Hwy. 92 to Habersham Avenue to reduce traffic congestion in the area’s neighborhoods and office park.
Overall, the project is meant to diminish traffic accidents at Hood Avenue and Hwy. 92, relieve traffic congestion in the Glynn Street/Ga. Highway 54 area, relieve traffic congestion on Georgia Avenue near the post office and improve traffic safety for the three schools located in the area, said City Director of Public Services Don Easterbrook.
Easterbrook in a Dec. 16 memo said it is expected to take approximately one year to finalize the design and permitting process. Right-of-way acquisition is expected to be accomplished in 2012 with construction likely in 2013, Easterbrook said. Project construction will take approximately two years, he added.
The unanimous vote approved the $7.77 million project that will cover the cost of construction and right-of-way. The city will pay all other project expenses with 1-cent sales tax funds.
The council also voted unanimously to rescind the intergovernmental agreement for the Lafayette Avenue Extension project due to the priority status of the Hood Avenue/Hwy. 92 project.
“We want to put our eggs in the (Hood Avenue/Hwy. 92) basket,” Easterbrook told the council.
The vote effectively reallocates the $492,000 for the Lafayette Extension to the Hood Avenue/Hwy. 92 project.
Responding to a question by Councilman Paul Oddo, City Manager Joe Morton said the Lafayette Extension remains a priority project for the city.
