The widening of Ga. Highway

54 to four lanes on the western end of Peachtree City could begin in 2003.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is hoping to begin preconstruction

work sometime next year, according to Dorothy Daniel, a communications

specialist with the DOT's District 3 office. Preconstruction includes

the development of engineering plans, environmental studies and right

of way acquisition.

There is a possibility that the bridge over the railroad tracks on that

stretch of highway could be replaced, Daniel added.

Widening Hwy. 54 in this area is seen as key to improving traffic problems

along that stretch of

road from Ga. Highway 74 to the Coweta County line. And with a Home Depot

slated to be built in the area and a possible Wal-Mart Superstore coming

to the same site, some citizens are concerned about traffic being snarled.

Another road project expected to help traffic patterns in the area is

an extension of TDK Boulevard into Coweta County.

Meanwhile, Peachtree City is attempting to stop the location of the Wal-Mart

near the Home Depot, taking the stance that it will degrade traffic to

a large degree.

Ram Development, the company proposing the Home Depot/Wal-Mart site, disagrees

and says its traffic analysts have numbers showing the Wal-Mart would

not violate the city's traffic ordinance.