Sumner Road,

one of Peachtree City's last unpaved thoroughfares, will still be blacktopped

despite a last-ditch effort from nearby residents to prevent it.

At last week's

city council meeting, council voted to go ahead with a redesigned version

of the project, which had been halted by the city once it was discovered

the path would cause some large trees to be cut down.

City engineer

Troy Besseche said the design changes will help save some trees. That

means reducing some clear space on either side of the pavement but keeping

a curb and gutter system that could help keep vehicles from leaving the

roadway.

It is very

important to explore several options to reduce the speed of the roadway,

Besseche said, including keeping the speed limit at 20 mph.

Some Sumner

Road residents appeared at the council meeting questioning why the road

should be paved in the first place. They were worried paving the road

would increase traffic and noise in addition to causing environmental

problems.

But the residents

were told the road should be paved to enhance the response of emergency

vehicles and because dirt roads are expensive to maintain. Also, it would

allow access to Ga. Highway 54 at a traffic light for vehicles coming

from the area north of Sumner Road.

Councilman

Robert Brooks explained that council had already approved the road paving,

but the matter came back to council "unplanned" for the design

changes.

Maintaining

Sumner Road is difficult, especially when potholes form several days after

rainstorms, Brooks said.

The motion

to proceed with the project as it was redesigned was unanimous.

The Georgia

Department of Transportation is still expected to help fund the project,

Besseche said.