Many of us Fayette citizens are appalled at Fayette Commission Chairman Herb Frady’s lack of respect for open government.
Commissioner Steve Brown had every right to speak on the West Fayetteville Bypass during the commissioner reports section of the meeting and Chairman Frady knows it.
Chairman Frady needs to know that if he is going to be a leader, he needs to be ready to accept some criticism. Chairman Frady, unfortunately, is not ready to be big enough to allow words of disapproval regarding his pro-developer stance on the “road to nowhere” labeled the West Fayetteville Bypass.
Every one of my neighbors and friends that I speak to here in Peachtree City considers that “road to nowhere” a complete waste of our precious tax dollars and an utter waste of county staff resources. There’s ample proof we’re right.
A document going around from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) entitled “Jurisdictional Briefings, Draft 2030 RTP and FY 2005-2010 TIP Project Lists” dated April 15, 2004 just happens to be the exact same year we voted on the Transportation SPLOST.
The ARC document lists Fayette County’s top five roadway project priorities. Here are the five: 1. SR 74 widening (almost completed): 2. SR 54-W widening (complete): 3. East Fayetteville Bypass: 4. SR 92 widening and: 5. SR 85 widening.
Next, the ARC document asked for the projects which didn’t receive any funding from the state or federal government. The West Fayetteville Bypass was listed and the reason given was the bypass “did not score high enough” on need and it was “too expensive.”
Obviously, none of us are surprised to hear these official reasons why NOT to build “the road to nowhere.” So why in the world are Chairman Frady, Commissioner Hearn and Commissioner Horgan building this hopeless road? Why are millions upon millions of our tax dollars being wasted while the top project in the East Fayetteville Bypass gets underfunded and unconstructed?
I have to agree with all of my neighbors and friends who are calling the West Fayetteville Bypass a “developer welfare project.” That’s probably why there is a brand new elementary school lying empty on phase one of the bypass. We are being hoodwinked.
Our current environment is one where three of our county commissioners are totally neglecting the will of the voters. In 2004, we were told the highest priority was the East Fayetteville Bypass.
Thousands of local commuters have to suffer in Fayetteville traffic every day and three of our commissioners pulled the plug on the one road project that actually addresses the problem. This is unbelievable! But typical of their way of “doing business.”
The answer is clear: Stop the needless waste on the West Fayetteville Bypass and put the funds into the East Fayetteville Bypass.
I ask, “Where’s the leadership?” It is my opinion, and certainly that of countless others, that Frady, Horgan and Hearn will never get re-elected because of their fiscal irresponsibility.
David Cree
Peachtree City , Ga.
