$3 million T-SPLOST for sprawl on Cat Creek Road

Three million dollars buried on page 90 of the 171 page T-SPLOST Unconstrained Investment List for the Southern Georgia Region to funnel traffic along Cat Creek Road to Moody Air Force Base, promoting sprawl in far north Lowndes County, in an area the Comprehensive Plan says should be for agriculture and forestry.

In amongst the boilerplate and the red herrings ("potentially reducing the incidence of crashes", "mitigating congestion") is the real purpose of this project:

Also as a part of the project, protected left turn lanes will be added at various intersections along Cat Creek Road. The proposed intersections include Pine Grove Road, Radar Site Road, New Bethel Road, and Hambrick Road.

There's a more long-term reason, too, which is hinted at with this further unnecessary work:

This project will widen Cat Creek Road from 10.5' lanes to 12' travel lanes and add a two foot wide paved shoulder with ground in place rumble strips. The entire length of Cat Creek Road will be resurfaced as a part of this project.

What is that more long-term reason?

"could potentially maximize the full utility of an existing transportation facility(s)."

Translation: promoting development in an area that, according to the Comprehensive Plan, is not supposed to be developed. In plain language: sprawl. That's what Lowndes County wants your $3 million in tax dollars for.

Yes, I know, half of any SPLOST comes from outside Lowndes County. But why is that any excuse to promote sprawl that will cost the county money and end up increasing our property taxes while decreasing our quality of life?

As I wrote in February 2010,

State highways 122 and 129 (Bemiss Road) make a nice fast route from Hahira to Moody. A few improvements at Walker's Crossing (where 122 and 129 intersect) would seem much more appropriate. The MPO could request for the state to do that.

So why doesn't Lowndes County do that, considering it would cost a lot less to fix up one intersection than four plus widening a whole road? Because it wouldn't promote development, which trumps everything in Lowndes County.

We didn't know how much that boondoggle would cost back then. Now we do. $3 million dollars is far too much for a project to benefit developers at the expense of everybody else.

The complete project description is appended.

-jsq

Project Sheet

Project Number: RC11-000069 Project Name: Cat Creek Road Additional Lane Width and Turning Lanes GDOT ID: Project Description: Cat Creek Road is classified as a major collector road that traverses from Berrien County into Northern Lowndes County and terminates at State Route 125. This project will widen Cat Creek Road from 10.5' lanes to 12' travel lanes and add a two foot wide paved shoulder with ground in place rumble strips. The entire length of Cat Creek Road will be resurfaced as a part of this project. In some areas, drainage structures will have to be extended. Also as a part of the project, protected left turn lanes will be added at various intersections along Cat Creek Road. The proposed intersections include Pine Grove Road, Radar Site Road, New Bethel Road, and Hambrick Road. Finally, deceleration lanes will be added at various intersections and at entrances into major subdivisions. The proposed intersections will include the four roads listed above and the proposed major subdivisions will include Chandler Place Subdivision, Roswell Subdivision, Pebble Creek Subdivision, Pebble Ridge Subdivision, and Fairington Place Subdivision. Limited ROW will need to be acquired in areas where deceleration lanes and left turn lanes are built. Regional Commission: Southern Georgia Unconstrained List: Yes County: Lowndes County Phase Total Project Cost Total Amt Requested Comments: PE $150,000 $150,000 ROW $100,000 $100,000 CST $2,750,000 $2,750,000 Total $3,000,000 $3,000,000 Public Benefit Notes Ensuring Safety and Security This project would benefit the public by potentially reducing the incidence of crashes along this roadway segment, corridor, and/or intersection. Maximizing the value of Georgia's Assets This project could potentially maximize the full utility of an existing transportation facility(s). In some cases, bypasses will be necessary. Example benefits could be: mitigating congestion (e.g. operational improvements) and optimizing capital asset management (e.g. resurfacing, rehabilitation). The impacts would apply to this roadway segment, corridor, and/or intersection. Project Location