Fayette County Commission Chairman Steve Brown has a great deal of experience with multi-use path infrastructure as a former mayor of Peachtree City. He is now utilizing that knowledge to expand the system throughout the county.
“We had great success in Peachtree City running the multi-use path to McIntosh High School,” says Brown. “Each one of those approximate 400 golf carts at the school is three automobile trips taken off our roads and it gives parents more free time because they don’t have to pick up the students.”
The challenge now is making the logical path connections to the Starr’s Mill School Complex. Progress has been made on a multi-use path from Fayetteville, extending west down Redwine Road. Brown and County Engineer Phil Mallon worked with the Atlanta Re gional Commission and the Georgia Department of Transportation on soliciting funds to bring the mulit-use path all the way to the schools.
Only 63 projects were chosen for metropolitan Atlanta and the surrounding counties. Fayette was awarded $858,400 in federal funding to provide continuous paths along Redwine Road from Whitewater Creek subdivision to the Starr’s Mill School Complex and will provide connectivity to the Peachtree City path system. The funding was awarded through the Last Mile Connectivity Program.
Multi-use paths now connect Tyrone, Peachtree City, Fayetteville, the unincorporated County and numerous Board of Education school sites.
Brown and Mallon are also in the process of meeting with regional officials on securing funds for establishing a countywide multi-use path master plan.
“If Peachtree City agrees, we will try to include the eastern half of Coweta County as well since Senoia is already building paths down Rockaway Road,” said Brown.
Another area identified for multi-use path is the north-central part of the unincorporated county along Sandy Creek Road connecting the new film and television studio project to the shops and restaurants on the southern portion of State Route 54. Developer River Rock, LLC has already agreed to build the multiuse path along their right-of-way and the Georgia Department of Transportation is working with the City of Fayetteville and Fayette County on a bridge crossing over State Route 54 somewhere near Piedmont Fayette Hospital.
“The system of paths we envision will continue to enhance our quality of life and create a truly one of a kind alternative transportation network we can all be proud of,” said Brown. |
