In the next

10 years, the transportation infrastructure of Coweta

County will be massively changed.

That's the

word from Coweta County's assistant administrator Eddie

Whitlock after attending a recent transportation meeting

at the Atlanta Regional Commission.

The ARC is

the planning agency for 10 counties in the Atlanta

region. While Coweta County is not a member of the

agency, the agency is overseeing many of its projects

because the county is included in a 13-county

non-attainment area for bad air quality.

"This

transportation plan will help the region conform to

federal air quality standards," Whitlock said.

One of the

biggest changes in the transportation arena will be the

option of commuter rail. ARC officials estimate a

commuter rail line will be up and running with a station

in Senoia by 2010.

By 2020,

nearly more than 2,500 commuters will board the rail

daily in Senoia for a trip north into Atlanta. The rail

will also have boarding stations at Peachtree City,

Tyrone and Red Oak. ARC projects that by 2025, more than

10,000 riders will be boarding the train at the four

stops.

One of the

biggest traffic headaches currently is the Ga. Highway 34

corridor between Newnan and Peachtree City. Work is

already being done on the section of the road from Ga.

Highway 154 to Interstate 85.

Residents

hoping for a quick widening of the rest of the road,

though, may be disappointed. Arc officials estimate the

rest of the nearly $24 million project won't be completed

until 2008.

Commissioner

Vernon "Mutt" Hunter pointed out that the

county can request amendments to the plan, which would

speed the projects up. Whitlock said Hunter was correct,

but said everything boiled down to the status of the

region's air.

Other major

projects in the ARC proposal include:

- The

building of the Newnan bypass from Hwy.34 to U.S. 29.

-

Widening of the bridge at Ga. Highway 54 and Line Creek

from two to four lanes.

The full

ARC is scheduled to vote on the projects in March. If the

projects are accepted by the federal government as

acceptable for meeting clean air standards, it will free

up federal money for the projects. Federal money for road

projects was frozen in 1996 when the region was declared

out of compliance with air quality standards.