The Coweta County Commission on July 9 voted unanimously to move ahead with the condemnation of five parcels totaling 3.41 acres after negotiations to secure the the properties for the Poplar Road interchange on Interstate 85 were unsuccessful.
The five parcels, ranging from .4 acres to 1.5 acres in size and totaling 3.41 acres, brought a total price of $785,000 through the condemnation process after negotiations to purchase the properties was unsuccessful.
The vote on the measure was 4-0. As is his custom in issues dealing with the interchange and surrounding area, Commissioner Bob Blackburn excused himself from the agenda items and vote because he is a partial owner of a piece of nearby property and has a client that also has property nearby.
Commissioners on July 9 also voted 4-0 to reimburse Coweta-Fayette EMC for eligible utility relocation costs associated with the interchange project.
In March, the commissioners approved a state-required request to have traffic signals installed in the new interchange intersection.
Construction on the long-anticipated project is expected to begin in early or mid-2016. The project is expected to be completed with the interchange open during the 2017-2018 time frame.
