DOT Clearing for I-20 HOV Project
The Georgia DOT has been clearing trees and brush at the Interstate 20 / Fairburn Road intersection in conjunction with the I-20 HOV Project. It was reported mid-last year about the first signs that Fairburn Road was to overcome a makeover – Burger King and the Citgo gas station were demolished. Other businesses would be forced to close shop in order to make room for a much widened roadway: Texaco gas station, ReMax Realty, Island Flavas, Taco Bell and Captain D’s.
The new Fairburn Road Bridge will be 10 lanes wide, or two times its current size, accommodating four through lanes, four left turn lanes and two future turn lanes. Because of the bridge’s increased size, on and off ramps will have to be shifted, thus why clearing is being conducted. Westmoreland Plaza will be rerouted to Cherokee Boulevard to make room for the westbound off ramp. Completion of the new bridge is slated to be at the end of 2008 or early 2009.
In other DOT news, many traffic signals will be upgraded throughout Douglas County, in addition of improvements for pedestrian and striping in Douglasville. These improvements are subjected to occur between March and May of this year. A list of intersections that will be affected is available after the jump.
Douglas County
- Thornton Road at Riverside Parkway
- Thornton Road at Factory Shoals Road
- Fairburn Road at State Route 166
- Fairburn Road at Lee Road
- Fairburn Road at Bomar Road
- Fairburn Road at Pope/County Line Road
- Fairburn Road at Midway Road
- Broad Street at Fairburn Road
- Broad Street at Mozley Road
- State Route 92 at West Forest Avenue
City of Douglasville
- Hospital Drive at Prestley Mill Road
- Campbellton Road at Hospital Drive
- Campbellton Road at Church Street
- Douglas Boulevard at Mall Entrance East
- Douglas Boulevard at Mall Entrance West
- Douglas Boulevard at Lowe’s Entrance
- Douglas Boulevard at State Route 5
- Douglas Boulevard at Home Depot Entrance
- Douglas Boulevard at Bright Star Road
If that is the case then where are all of the fast food joints (Taco Bell, Burger King, Captain Ds, etc.) will relocate to?
It almost does not make sense. What a waste for Douglasville and Douglas County.
January 29th, 2007 at 7:23 pmI don’t know if they will relocate on Fairburn Road, they may after the widening for the new bridge and after phase 2 of the Highway 92 Relocation Project - we’re talking about beyond 2009/2010. The areas where these established businesses were demolished now belong to the DOT.
January 29th, 2007 at 10:24 pmWhen you say pedestrian and stripping in Douglasville, what do you mean? I work at one of the listed intersections, so what upgrades are you talking about?
January 29th, 2007 at 11:31 pmJoe,
That’s how the Lettings report worded the improvements - I’m assuming crosswalk upgrades, sidewalk upgrades, redo worn out striping for vehicles and pedestrians (especially for Douglas Boulevard) and upgrading traffic signals. I do not believe these improvements are in correspondence with the Chapel Hill Corridor Study or Short Plan released last year (the intersections do not match with the data).
January 30th, 2007 at 7:54 amI assume you mean “striping” (related to the word “stripe”), not “stripping”, related to the word “stripper.” We don’t need any upgrades in “stripping” in Douglas County.
January 30th, 2007 at 8:32 amYou would be correct, the error has been fixed.
January 30th, 2007 at 9:16 amBusinesses don’t bother to relocate from north of I-20 to elsewhere in Douglas County, except for Norcross-based Waffle House, which was the ONLY business to relocate to its current location at the Midway Village shopping center at Fairburn Road/Midway Road, and yet all the other businesses: Burger King, Captain Ds, Island Flavas, Taco Bell, and pretty soon- Pizza Hut and KFC are not given any other location to relocate to???? What about vacant areas along Fairburn Road, that could use those restaurants, especially at Midway Village (Piggly Wiggly), Fairburn Station (Ingles) and Paradise Crossing (Publix). The only new restaurant that is coming, is the overrated and overpriced Zaxby’s at Lee Road’s Paradise Crossing. Other than that people are losing their jobs and home prices are going nowhere with this long overdue GDOT highway project. It seems like Douglasville/Douglas County wants to KILL Fairburn Road, and focus most of its economic attention on saturating Chapel Hill Road with newer and better businesses that are NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
What is wrong with Fairburn Road, what does Douglas County have against the corridor??????? It is because of the affordable housing, the increase in minority population or does GDOT want to turn it into another regional I-20 freeway and do away with what I listed above. It sounds like metro-Atlanta conspiracy to me. I mean with the SR-92 road widening and I-20 HOV lanes. I betcha the state of Georgia wants to eliminate Fairburn Road altogether, and the elements with it. Sure, CVS and Wal-Greens can establish shop along it, but just like Island Flavas, those businesses won’t be there long! Thanx to GDOT!!! Even Popeye’s is afraid to open shop along Fairburn Road (or within Douglas County, for that matter), thanks to these stupid long-overdue regional projects in Douglasville/Douglas County. I am surprised that this “working class” county voted for Republican Sonny Perdue, because the Governor could care less what happens to this county and its “loyal” citizens, as a result of this botched transportation project. Meanwhile, he is laughing his way to the bank with his stupid trademark grin, leaching off the kickbacks received for eliminating the regional competition Douglas County was generating, along Fairburn Road. What a crook!!!!
January 30th, 2007 at 9:50 amOh come on people. The Georgia DOT gave each of these businesses cold hard cash for thier perch of land. It is now up to the business to find a new location. If that business was making money, then it will eagerly look for a new location. If that business was not making money then they are lucky they found an angel to stop the loss. Either way it is not up to the government to find these people new locations.
You have to break some eggs to make an omelet. It seems to me that most people in this community want to sit around and bitch and moan. First it’s about the traffic on Fairburn Road, then it’s because your precious 39 cent taco stand closes, not it’s because the sun will be in your eyes due to the loss of trees. If you can’t be productive then you should keep you mouth shut or move to somewhere else an become part of their problem.
January 31st, 2007 at 9:33 amI think the issue here is that areas like Chapel Hill Road and Highway 5 have greatly benefited from development (mainly because of the mall) which has brought in retail and sit-down restaurants, yet Fairburn Road does not project the same improvement.
January 31st, 2007 at 10:05 amDoes anyone have a clue about what they are going to do with Hwy 92 going into Paulding County? I really don’t think expanding Fairburn Rd. is such a bad idea. I hate waiting on the train to cross, semi stuck on the track,or just slow moving traffic. It’s aweful on the weekend. Maybe the D.O.T will clear out those run down house and make Hwy 92N a 8 lane road…we need another east-west connetor.
January 31st, 2007 at 10:59 amAnonymous (10:59)
Here is a KMZ file for Google Earth that shows that whole Highway 92 Project. Below is a excerpt from the Fact Sheet that concerns Douglas and Paulding Counties:
The proposed project would widen SR 92 from Durelee Lane, Douglas County, to Nebo Road, Paulding County (see Project Location Map on back). From Durelee Lane to Malone Road, the proposed roadway would be constructed on new location to the east of the existing SR 92 corridor and would provide a grade-separated crossing of the Norfolk Southern Railroad (see map below).
From Durelee Lane to US 78/Bankhead Highway, the proposed project would widen SR 921Fairburn Road to six travel lanes, three in each direction, separated by a variable width raised median with curb and gutter. From US 78/Bankhead Highway to Malone Road, SR 92/Dallas Highway would consist of four travel lanes, two in each direction, separated by a
January 31st, 2007 at 1:38 pmvariable width raised median with curb and gutter. From Malone Road to Nebo Road, SR 92 would consist of four travel lanes, two in each direction, separated by a variable width median.
Hey Anonymous from January 31st at 9:33am, I guess it’s really about the state and its minions “stickin’ it in” and “breakin’ it off” huh!!!??? Just look at Fairburn Road!!! It is STILL a dump. Oh Sure, throw the street a bone and give us a couple of pharmacy stores, I am pretty sure that it is well needed, from its residents being sick from the SR92 construction headaches. Face it, the businesses are gone, and so are the 50-plus jobs that went with. Some investment!!! The mayor (of Douglasville) should lose 50-plus votes for that one, and many more. But he does not care, b/c there is not enough room in his precious city for another Taco Bell, Burger King or Island Flavas, plus he can care even less about giving to Douglas County, unless he can annex it. It’s all bull***.
February 1st, 2007 at 12:31 amWhat is amazing is that everyone blames the politicians. I will admit that the lack of vision at City Hall and the County Courthouse is legendary. However, the mayor can’t simply tell Taco Bell or any other business that it MUST relocate inside Douglasville. Businesses make decisions based on business. Maybe in a perfect world Hwy 92 would have been built the correct size in the first place, but in 1966 when they built that bridge I-20 stopped two exits West. As far as the State DOT is concerned, what is thier choice? The road is obsolete, do they ignore it or do the fix it? It’s a no win situation. One side note, if the City of Douglasville passes impact fees, the new Taco Bell will have to pay them to build new - another reason they might decide to either go elsewhere or just not come back. If you are truly bothered by all the development and changes happening here I suggest you go to South Georgia away from an interstate and any small town, purchase 100 acres, put your house in the middle and sit on your front porch and swat at the gnats. Either way, I support the Hwy 92 improvements but dread the construction.
February 2nd, 2007 at 9:39 amI have lived in the immediate vicinity of Fairburn Road/92 since 1996 and have watched the development - and lack thereof - along the corridor throughout this decade-long period. Up until a year and a half ago I lived near the Midway Village shopping center (Midway Road & 92); I now live near Riverside Parkway and 92. My observations:
- Growth has indeed been stagnant for the most part, with businesses and homebuilders choosing the more attractive demographics and statistics of the Highway 5 and Chapel Hill areas. These sorts of decisions tend to reinforce an area’s older, lower-rent status because businesses generally focus first - and often solely - on their bottom line, not community development. If you want your business to succeed, going into an area that is stagnant or declining is risky for all but the types of businesses that thrive in that sort of environment: low-cost food joints, dollar stores and similar establishments that help people stretch their paychecks. Then, of course, having mainly these types of businesses reinforces the economically-depressed appearance.
- Based on my observations as I travel through the area, there has been a definite positive trend over the last two or more years along the 92 corridor. After almost zero change over the decade I have seen new businesses going in, better housing being built and, of course, the 92 widening project. The neighborhood of ’70s starter homes I moved from a year and a half ago has seen significant increases in property values after years of very slow growth.
- The 92 widening will eventually help, not hurt, surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. In my opinion, even given the ongoing construction, travel along 92 has already improved beyond the congestion and safety issues the project is designed to remedy. IMO, the growth will still likely be slow when compared to the Hwy. 5 and Chapel Hill areas, with their completed and pipeline projects that dwarf the 92 goings-on. But that’s okay - for a change we’ll get some infrastructure before a gajillion shops are on a two-lane road (like some parts of Chapel Hill will be). More businesses are likely to wise up and stop treating Fairburn Road like a red-headed stepchild when they look at the fact that it is Douglasville’s closest interstate exit to Atlanta and it is still significantly cheaper than going in on Chapel Hill or Hwy. 5. It’s not going to be an overnight thing, but “silly” things like the new CVS will likely have a catalytic value.
Lastly, and this should go without saying: if you don’t like the way things are, talk to your representatives and VOTE. It’s at the local level that a handful of like-minded individuals really have the power to change things. If you go back through prior election results you will be amazed by the sometimes ridiculously small number of votes by which issues and office-holders have been decided. People get all worked up about Presidential elections and turn out in droves, relatively speaking, to vote during those years. And then we tend to slack off where we can make the biggest difference: our “small-time” city and county elections.
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:37 amJust what Douglas County needs- more “affordable” housing and minority population- Oh, I just described Annewakee Trails and we all know what a hell that devolpment has turned into. The new Hwy 92 corridor and entrance/exit ramps will do nothing but throw out a big welcome mat to thugs and other unwanted transplants from Fulton, Dekalb, and Cobb counties. This very kind of “expansion thinking” is part of the reason there is a parent’s meeting this week on the gang problem in Douglas County. Pretty soon, we will have to change the town signs to “Welcome to Decaturville” because that’s where we’ll all be living. Three things I never asked Santa for: A mall, a bus line to Atlanta, and more Section 8 housing that I can count. Seems I got them anyway…..
February 12th, 2007 at 4:02 pmYes,there might be a few places in Fulton and DeKalb County that I would not want to live, but they also have several communties that I can’t afford to rent a room.lol. Douglas County has it’s ups and downs as well.You might not have noticed the trailer dotting the county’s landscape. The City of D’Ville needs to enforce code violations on homeowners that rent their homes. To be honest with you my friend purchased a home in “Decaturville” the same year I did….guess what her home is now worth more than I’ll every sell mine for. I know you did not ask for a mall, but do you shop there or any of the stores around it? Maybe you enjoy the drive to Town Center or Cumberland. If you dislike D’ville soooo much move to Villa Rica or Temple and enjoy life with the Meth Heads. Have a Great Day….
February 12th, 2007 at 8:43 pmPiggly Wiggly is closed “permanately” in Douglasville. Gee, I wonder why. I guess it goes to show you that nothing but uneducated losers live in this podunk-type county. So, what are you going to do? Blame the Highway 92 project on that as well? It sounds more like an excuse to me…..The same reason why we lost: Taco Bell, Island Flavas, Captain Ds and Burger King, with Waffle House the only store/restaurant that located. It is becoming alot more depressing to live in Douglas County. I will be you that not even Kroger would want to take Piggly Wiggly’s place.
February 13th, 2007 at 8:42 amActually, I try my best to shop at the small, Mom-n-Pop stores that were here before the mall. Do I go to Marshall’s or Wal-Mart- yes I do if I cannot find what I need elsewhere. I do not go to Cumberland mall because it is as “thugged out” as downtown Atlanta and I also don’t mind the trip to Town Center on occasion. Here’s the ultimate question in all this- Why should the long time citizens of Douglas county have to move to Villa Rica or Temple because we don’t like the undesireable population change and exploding “affordable housing” market? It seems to me that we, as the voting population should be able to choose how and where our county expands and grows and the quality of people that move here. I don’t care if they’re green, just as long as they work, keep up their property, and don’t start gang fights in the theatre in the mall that I never wanted. Holly Springs Elementary and Chapel Hills High School were nice places to educate your child until the population of children from Annewakee Trails was bussed over there. Now, they both look like any school in Dekalb county and the problems that come with that type of school are firmly entrenched. I resent the change that Douglas County is going through and will ultimately look for another place to live. In 5-7 years, you will have your Marta bus line, an official hurricane refugee welcoming committee, uncontrollable crime and pregnancy rates and I will be looking over the North Georgia Mountains in relative peace. I may have to put up with a couple of trailers dotting the landscape, but at least it will be better than living in the record- setting foreclosures, “on the 6:00 news every night” mess you will have created. By the way, I remeber when a “gang” was six boys in the back of a pick-up truck sneaking out to see the midnight movie.
February 13th, 2007 at 8:45 amUnless you were part of the original land grant or an american indian, you are part of the problem. I think you should not wait 5-7 years, MOVE NOW. At least then we won’t have to listen to your whining about the “good ole days”. If you look into the paper 40 - 50 - 60 years ago you’ll see people complaining about the new people. Bottom line either live with it or get out, personally I’ll hold the door open for you.
February 15th, 2007 at 9:57 amHey DC, judging by your comments you are either:
1. A member of the Douglas County chapter of the KKK.
2. A disgruntled r*****k.
3. A son (or daughter) of a fallen confederate ancestor.
4. A lover of confederate flags.
or a
5. A country music fanatic.
If you are any of the above, then Douglas County/Metro Atlanta is not for you, because it is becoming more diverse everyday, not only attracting minorities (exclusively blacks and hispanics), but also immigrants from countries in Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Atlanta is quickly becoming the Los Angeles of the South (other than Miami) and maybe that’s a good thing. Besides that, the Civil War ended nearly 150 years ago, the confederacy and slavery is dead, and the stone mountain sculpture should be blown up. Get with the future, or go live within the caves of Brasstown Bald and/or Cheaha Mountain.
February 16th, 2007 at 9:53 amYour stereotypes are just as ignorant as those that you claim “DC” to foster. “ATLANTA” itself is not becoming more diverse, in fact it is trending back towards pre-white flight numbers, i.e a shrinking black population and a rising white population. The METRO area, however, must be to what you are referring. Yes it is becoming more “diverse” and with it the pros and cons. Most notably there has been a sharp rise in crime in Douglas County over the past 3 years. A fair share of this increase can be attributed to the “victims” of Hurricane Katrina (I think I have the opinion that most here do that the residents of metro Atlanta are the true victims). Call it bigotry, call it whatever you wish but numbers don’t lie. If you want to see what diversity will get you, take a drive thru Clayton County. Maybe we should take a diversity lesson from former NBA star Tim Hardawy who, as a black man mind you, professed serious hatred towards an entire group of people(gays and lesbians). I guess thats just another example of how its OK to be closed minded as LONG as you are a minority.
February 18th, 2007 at 7:36 pmThe points I made previously have nothing whatsoever to do with what kind of music I love or organization I am a member of(or not). The things you accuse me of are the easy fall- back excuses for you, ala “you must be a redneck if you don’t like a rising crime rate, dropping land values, an overcrowded jail or an escalating gang activity rate, etc”. You have your opinion which is obviously based on denial, and I have mine which is based on our currently- changing reality. Here’s the funny thing; I never mentioned race in either of my posts, but you automatically nailed the very population of which I was referring on the head. That very act proves both my point and your secret (but never admitted) realization that I am right. BTW, this is not whining, but merely a vocalization of the truth as I see it. And I can get the door myself, thank you.
February 19th, 2007 at 3:39 pm