Now that right of way acquisition

is nearly complete for the widening of Ga. Highway 54 West in Peachtree

City to four lanes, state Sen. Mitch Seabaugh is working on speeding up

the widening of Ga. Highway 74 to assist industries in the city's industrial

park.

Seabaugh got Sam Wellborn,

who represents Fayette County as a member of the Department of Transportation's

board, to visit Friday with officials from two big industries in the city's

industrial park, Cooper Lighting and Panasonic. The industry officials

told about the problems their trucks face in coming up and down Hwy. 74

as it narrows from four lanes to two once it reaches busy Hwy. 54.

Both industries depend heavily

on getting their trucks from the city to Interstate 85, so the widening

project is crucial for them, Seabaugh said.

Wellborn, along with former

Peachtree City Mayor Bob Lenox and current Fayette County Commission Chairman

Greg Dunn, were instrumental in working with Seabaugh to speed up the

widening of Hwy. 54, Seabaugh said. It's that kind of cooperation that

will be needed again to help fast-track the Hwy. 74 widening, Seabaugh

added.

"I'm really happy the

Peachtree City Council has stepped up and resolved the TDK (extension)

issue," Seabaugh said.

The first phase of the widening

would be from Hwy. 54 to Crosstown Road, but the second phase, which would

extend the four lanes to Hwy. 85 beyond the city limits, is important

too, Seabaugh said. The second phase will also involve either replacing

or widening the bridge that spans Flat Creek in the southwestern part

of the city.

Currently, however, the project

isn't due to become reality until approximately 2012, Seabaugh noted.

"It's about being able

to move truck traffic into and out of the industrial park," Seabaugh

said. "When it goes down from four lanes to two lanes into the industrial

park, that makes it very difficult. And it's a safety issue, too."

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