A future replacement bridge on Ga. Highway 85 at Starr’s Mill received a bit of help Feb. 9 when the Fayette County Commission adopted a resolution asking the Ga. Department of Transportation (DOT) to consider the area’s historical significance when the time comes to install a new bridge.
Steve Brown thought it would be advisable to have the commission go on-record in requesting that DOT consider the proposal.
Commissioner Chuck Oddo said he believed the issue could be handle by directing county staff to have that conversation with DOT.
Attorney Dennis Davenport commented when questioned about the move, stating that there are no legal problems with adopting the resolution.
“We’re asking DOT to consider it,” Chairman Eric Maxwell said.
The vote to adopt the resolution was 4-1, with Oddo opposed.
The idea is to have the state and DOT support a bridge design that embellishes the historic relevance of the old mill and adjoining property, the draft resolution said.
The goal for the bridge replacement would be to maintain the historical character through overlay ordinances and to improve the overall site. This could be done by clearing trees, establishing a water trail and buffering vegetation.
One of the projects on the DOT long-term list, nearly three miles north of Starr’s Mill, deals with widening Ga. Highway 85 to four lanes from Grady Avenue in Fayetteville south to Bernhard Road. While on the books for years, that project is still in the works despite the heavy increase in traffic flow.
