Hwy. 74N slated for resurfacing later this year; Hwy. 54 next year ‘at the earliest’
Serious cracks in the pavement on Ga. Highway 54 in Peachtree City got some much-needed attention last week by a crew from the Georgia Department of Transportation.
The crew used special equipment to shoot a tar-like goo into the ever-growing cracks, some of which have turned into potholes in recent months. The crack-sealing process is expected to add some life to the pavement until Hwy. 54 can be repaved, which will not be until 2015 at the earliest, county officials said.
Meanwhile, DOT is reporting that Ga. Highway 74 north in Peachtree City from Hwy. 54 to the Fulton County line will have a contract later this year for resurfacing.
DOT’s attention on the issues was sought in a letter several weeks ago authored by the mayors of Peachtree City, Tyrone and Fayetteville along with county commission Chairman Steve Brown.
The letter got a response from DOT District Engineer Thomas Howell, who noted that both Hwy. 54 and Hwy. 74 will be patched because they are “deteriorating almost exponentially due to the weather and condition of the pavement.”
Howell cautioned that DOT has limited resources, which is making it difficult to meet the needs of the state.
“I’m very afraid with the very limited budget and the desire to build capital projects with less money going to resurfacing, pavement conditions like we are experiencing on those two routes will become the new norm in Georgia,” Howell wrote.
Until the resurfacing projects come to fruition, Howell said he has directed his staff to watch Hwys. 54 and 74 closely and schedule patching “as often as practical.”
Brown said he and the mayors are thankful for the efforts.
“We appreciate Mr. Howell’s response to our correspondence and I have noticed GDOT crews patching State Route 54 now,” said Brown. “Hopefully, our driving conditions on those two stretches of highway will significantly improve in the near-term.”
