Improving the

flow of traffic between Peachtree City and Coweta County occupies the

top two spots on Fayette County's priority list for transportation projects.

County Commission

Chairman Harold Bost and transportation director Lee Hearn today are explaining

the county's priorities to the Atlanta Regional Commission as the planning

agency considers its Transportation Improvement Plan, covering projects

through 2004, and its Regional Transportation Plan, covering projects

through 2020.

County and

municipal leaders identified the widening of Ga. Highway 54 from Ga. Highway

74 in Peachtree City to Thomas Crossroads in Coweta County as Fayette's

number one priority during a meeting of the FUTURE Committee Wednesday.

The project

also is Coweta's top priority, according to local officials.

Peachtree City

Mayor Bob Lenox said the city is ready to begin buying right of way for

its part of the project, but is waiting for resolution of a lawsuit filed

the Atlanta region.

Second on the

county's priority list is extending TDK Boulevard into Coweta County,

tying it into McIntosh Trail.

Third is a

bypass road around the east side of Fayetteville, from Ga. Highway 85

north of town to Ga. Highway 92 on the south end. That four-lane bypass

is on the 20-year RTP for 2020, but as a first step, county leaders hope

to build a new two-lane road connecting Corinth Road with County Line

Road.

That's the

only segment of the bypass project where there is currently no road, and

leaders in the county and Fayetteville are concerned that property between

Corinth and County Line will develop soon, and purchase of right of way

will become impossible.

Four-laning

Ga. Highway 74 from Hwy. 54 to Hwy. 85 south is fourth on the county's

list.

County and

city leaders also agreed to ask ARC to add two projects to its long-range

RTP: four-laning Jimmie Mayfield Boulevard in Fayetteville and improving

the intersection of Hwy. 74 and East Crestwood Road in Tyrone.

"We will

also be adding our encouragement to ARC and Fulton County on improving

the intersection of Interstate 85 and Hwy. 74 in Fairburn," said

Bost.