Newnan to Peachtree City gridlock must be solved

Letters to the Editor
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Newnan to Peachtree City gridlock must be solved

Letters to the Editor
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Share this Post
Views 4661 | Comments 9

Subject: Peachtree City Gridlock needs Alternate bypasses and coordination with Coweta County Transportation plan.

 In April of 2016, I started email communications with [the Georgia Department of Transportation] about the Peachtree City gridlock and the need for bypasses on the north and south side of the city. I even followed up with Lynn Westmoreland and no action appears to have been taken.

The congestion continues to get worse and PTC government officials refuse to allow a solution such as the TDK extension.

The 54/74 “Displaced left-turn intersection” will not solve the need for improved trans-county highway transportation needs. It is time for GDOT leadership to find solutions with GDOT Highway bypasses to PTC.

From Georgia highways 34/54 in Coweta County to the intersection of Highway 54/74 in PTC, there is a chokehold on travel and commerce. Traffic congestion has been exacerbated with the addition of Costco and Fischer Marketplace across from Sam’s. Traffic will also worsen with the multiple residential developments along MacDuff Parkway in PTC.

Improvements are coming with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) plan for a “Displaced Left-turn Intersection” that will remake the 54/74 intersection but not until 2023. This project needs to be given a higher priority BEFORE 2023.

To make matters worse, in April of 2019, the Peachtree City Council vetoed the needed TDK extension. This would have connected Coweta County and PTC with a new bridge over Line Creek in the south. Also urgently needed is a northern trans-county connection.

PTC doesn’t want the tax burden of additional highway arteries but every driver is paying a gas, pollution, and time delay tax because of the lack of a plan. No action is not a plan. Please bring our state leaders, regional partners, county commissioners, and city officials to the table to solve this Newnan to PTC gridlock.

Steve Houlder

Newnan, Ga.

Letters to the Editor

9 responses to “Newnan to Peachtree City gridlock must be solved”

  1. Doug Tucker Avatar
    Doug Tucker

    I am firmly against extending TDK Boulevard into Coweta County. I have a great deal to say and write about the TDK Boulevard extension and my opposition to it. Unfortunately, I do not have the time today or tomorrow to do it. I will say for right now, the issue goes back as far, if not farher, to a 2002-2004 “Citizen News” article reporting the Fayette Chamber of Commerce endorsed the extension as a means of supporting commerce on Crosstown Boulevard and I wrote a scathing letter to the Fayette Chamber of Commerce with a copy provided to then Mayor, the Honorable Steve Brown. I believe also at that time, Pathway Communities, or some other name for a group of Peachtree City developers (and/or marketing group) either purchased or held an option to purchase thousand of acres west of what now is McIntosh Lake and in Coweta County. I cannot seem to find an archived record of the “Citizens News” article, but I’m certain with time I can find it. Also, shortly after the article, roads were constructed and traffic signals placed on Highway 54, in Sharpsburg, in anticipation of the TDK Boulevard extension. I will dig further into this as soon as I can get the time and maybe some of my memory returns.

    1. Dawn Haddocks Avatar
      Dawn Haddocks

      I’m interested in learning more about the opposition. Without the extension, yes the developments will be delayed, but they will come. Will PTC be proactive or reactive?

    2. rmoc Avatar
      rmoc

      Totally agree, Coweta developers are salivating at the extension. I think a Minix rd bypass is the best solution.

  2. Dawn Haddocks Avatar
    Dawn Haddocks

    “Take Doc Fischer to Tyrone or 16 to Georgia 85 to get around.” – Why would anyone do that when it still takes less time to come through PTC – even with traffic? No one is going to take those routes until it becomes absolute gridlock at 54/74.

    This is where PTC suffers from its “bubble” mentality. First of all, while PTC’s traffic problems are not great, they certainly aren’t the worst anyone has ever seen. Yes, compared to the rest of the city, this is a trouble spot and while it needs to be addressed, if this is the worst thing our city has to deal with – then we’ve got it pretty good. Second, while I’m not sure that TDK extension is the best answer – it is a viable one. Instead of planning for “what ifs”, we need to plan for the very worst. Everyone keeps talking about development in Coweta if TDK extension is built. That development is going to happen no matter if the extension is built or not. Where do you think that traffic is going to go? Right around back to 54 through PTC. So, would we rather help reduce that impact by offering viable alternative routes or continue to ignore the problem – because that seems to be the mentality of officials – kick the can down the road.

    1. Spyglass Avatar
      Spyglass

      Pretty easy to go north up old 74 and hit MacDuff and head west on 54 if headed to Costco and further points west. I don’t see why people sit in the traffic backed up to the City Hall…but for my sake, I’m glad they do. Makes my route much easier.

  3. Crashing Boulder Avatar
    Crashing Boulder

    The ONLY thing that an extension of TDK Boulevard into and out of Coweta County will accomplish will be to shift THOUSANDS of additional cars and trucks onto GA Highway 74 north for the commute into points north of PTC making an already bad situation HORRIBLE! It will also intensify the gridlock that is already in existence at the GA Highways 54 and 74 intersection which is ALREADY UNBEARABLE! NO TDK BOULEVARD EXTENSION – EVER!

  4. Stranger Than Fiction Avatar
    Stranger Than Fiction

    TDK is a very necessary relief option, even though its opposition has somehow become a litmus test for the recalcitrant politicians who steadfastly oppose every avenue for traffic de-congestion out of reflex rather than thoughtful consideration. Any northern cut-through option would be welcomed as well.

    The gridlock is clearly political, not practical. Until PTC voters decide that waiting in traffic is unacceptable, the status quo will prevail. Perhaps this will require attrition of the old-timers who eschew any change. The “build a wall around PTC” mentality clearly is not working, but who ever accused a conservative of innovative thinking?

    As always, truth is stranger than fiction.

  5. Jed Munford Avatar
    Jed Munford

    The moment a TDK extension is approved, development on the other end would shoot up, mitigating any traffic alleviation. Not to mention Crosstown is a terrible place to dump bypass traffic.
    Take Doc Fischer to Tyrone or 16 to Georgia 85 to get around.

    1. spin1197 Avatar
      spin1197

      So then that’s the reason to sit back and do nothing? Not acceptable. Development will continue regardless of adequate access and more and more side roads will get loaded up. I agree Crosstown is not ready to handle extra traffic as it stands but that would have to be addressed as a part of the extension of TDK. Fischer is not a good option but connecting Minix with McDuff could help although still not idea for a bypass but would alleviate traffic forced to go to 74 or 54 to get to Newnan however the biggest issue is Coweta traffic that works in Fayetteville commuting through PTC since it is so much more expensive to live in those areas.

      Hwy 16 is nice route but easily adds more time to the commute that just sitting in traffic so people choose less miles and possibly less time in gridlock vs. the opposite.

      The creation of a bypass (or use of existing routes) won’t work if it takes longer than the current paths being clogged up now. The answers are very limited but something should be done.

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