Though motorists have experienced

some inconveniences due to construction in the Ga. Highway 54 West area

in Peachtree City, they're already reaping some of the benefits from the

road improvements, too.

The westbound "through

lane" on Hwy. 54 beginning at Huddleston Road is already open. The

"always green" lane allows one westbound lane of vehicles to

continue without stopping through the traffic light at Hwy. 54 and Huddleston.

The new arrangement creates

a separate lane for vehicles turning left from Huddleston Road westbound

onto Hwy. 54. Those westbound lanes later merge into one lane before reaching

MacDuff Parkway.

Currently, the lanes are separated

for a short distance by orange barrels; later, raised pavement will be

added as a permanent separation mark, said Peachtree City Engineer Troy

Besseche.

"Westbound traffic has

improved dramatically, just from what I have noticed," Besseche said.

"It is functioning a lot better than in the past."

And though it hasn't opened

yet, the eastbound turning lane feeding traffic off Hwy. 54 to Huddleston

is finished. Beginning west of the entrance to Planterra Ridge subdivision,

the lane will have a more noticeable appearance once striping is complete,

Besseche said.

All these improvements are

being funded by RAM Development, which is building the Home Depot and

Wal-Mart Supercenter buildings. They were required by the city through

an ordinance designed to make sure the developments don't worsen traffic

in the area.

For a while, it appeared as

if the stores, which total over 300,000 sq. ft., wouldn't make the cut.

But the concept of the "through lane" convinced the city's traffic

consultant engineering firm that the developments wouldn't significantly

worsen traffic.

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