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As
more and more people relocate to the area, I-575 is becoming increasingly
crowded. To alleviate this crowding, the City of Woodstock put forth a
plan to have an independent diamond interchange at the intersection of
Rope Mill Road (a new overpass would be constructed just south of the
existing overpass at Rope Mill Road) and I-575. This plan was rejected
by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and the Federal Highway
Administration (FHA), mainly because there would not be enough room for
on and off ramps to safely allow people access to I-575, considering its
proximity to the Towne Lake Parkway interchange. A new plan, designed
by the MSE Engineering firm, called for a split-diamond interchange. This
change would permanently eliminate the northbound entrance ramp onto I-575
at Towne Lake Parkway and the southbound exit ramp from I-575 onto Towne
Lake Parkway. Additionally, there would be two one-way, two-lane access
roads, one northbound from Towne Lake Parkway to the new interchange on
the east side of I-575 and one south bound from the new interchange to
Towne Lake Parkway on the west side of I-575.
There
are several factions of opposition to this project. Many residents of
the Deer Run and ParkView communities are among them. The proposed access
road will back up to the homes in both of these neighborhoods. This access
road will be heavily traveled, and residents are concerned about the possibility
of plummeting property values as well as additional noise and pollution.
The road change also may negatively impact several businesses which reside
near the current I-575 interchange, including Cherokee Ford, the Shell
gas station, Dancentre South and the Oasis Diner, and the existing businesses
on Towne Lake Parkway. With the flow of traffic being diverted away from
their businesses, they have expressed concern for their current customer
base and question whether customers will go out of their way to patronize
them. Furthermore, opponents question the validity of making such drastic
changes to the Towne Lake interchange, (thereby limiting access to I-575
for Towne Lake area residents) considering the congestion problem is to
the south of Towne Lake rather than north where the new interchange is
proposed.
Those
in favor of the project believe this interchange will be an effective
way of alleviating traffic congestion. Proponents argue that with the
new access road, travelers can go from one exit to another without ever
getting on the highway. Mayor Dewrell has said that as much as 30 percent
of local traffic passes through the city simply to get to I-575. The new
interchange would re-route these travelers alleviating the congestion
in the downtown area. Several downtown merchants agreed that
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something
needs to be done about the traffic congestion, but some did express concern
about diverting potential customers away. As one store owner who wished
to remain anonymous said, "The City needs to tackle the traffic problem,
but the more people who have access to the merchants here, the better."
Lara Randall, owner of the Serene Bean, would like to see the City take
a proactive approach to traffic, especially with the new Hedgewood development
coming to the downtown area, but she's not sure the proposed interchange
will do what it's intended to do.
Woodstock
City Manager Jim Gleason stated that the City Council has not voted in
favor or against the project, but did not deny that members of the Council
are likely to be in favor of the project.
There
also is the issue of a possible retail project, The Avenues, which causes
additional concern and issues amongst the opposition. The Avenues is an
upscale retail development, and there have been discussions regarding
putting The Avenues in the Ridgewalk development, within the vicinity
of the proposed interchange. According to Gleason, Ridgewalk has been
deemed a viable site for a project such as The Avenues, but without the
approval of the interchange, a project of that type will not go in to
that site. While a land contract has not been signed, and there isn't
a guarantee that an upscale retail center will go in Ridgewalk with an
interchange, it's a definite "no go" without the approval. Mr. Gleason
confirmed the fact that the project is NOT being driven
by the GDOT or FHA, but rather by the City of Woodstock.
The
final meeting of three informational meetings will be held on January
11, at 6:30 p.m. at the Woodstock Community Church. The City Council also
will meet on that evening, and there is the possibility the interchange
could be voted on at that time as it is on the agenda. Citizens who wish
to speak at the Council meeting can do so by filling out a Speaker's Form
available at City Hall, (770) 926-8852.
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