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Contact: Rick Slade, Chief of Science & Resource Management, 678-538-1321
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) would like to invite the public and interested parties to comment on the recently completed draft Environmental Assessment (EA) entitled McGinnis Ferry Road Bridge Replacement. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has proposed to replace and widen the existing bridge on McGinnis Ferry Road over the Chattahoochee River and widen the adjacent roadway to match. The project would widen the existing two-lane roadway and bridge to four lanes to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety within the project area. The project corridor passes along the northern boundary of the McGinnis Ferry unit of CRNRA, and construction and maintenance of the widened roadway would require an additional highway easement from CRNRA. In addition, an expanded utility right-of-way would be required for Georgia Power to relocate transmission lines along the southern edge of the roadway. The preferred alternative identified in the EA would require CRNRA to grant an additional 0.68 acres of easement for the roadway and 0.70 acres of additional right-of-way for the transmission lines. The roadway would include four 12-foot travel lanes separated by a 44-foot depressed grassed median. The new roadway would also include a 6-foot sidewalk on the north side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the south side. The new bridge would be built in stages over the old bridge, which would be removed upon completion of the new bridge. Construction of the new bridge would require new piers to be installed in the riverbed, which would replace existing piers. Proposed mitigations associated with the preferred alternative include the construction of a stormwater quality pond along the northern edge of the road and the addition of a parking lot, boat ramp and picnic area adjacent to the pond on property currently owned by Forsyth County. Upon completion of the project, Forsyth County would donate the land and improvements to CRNRA to maintain as a park facility. The roadway and bridge would be constructed to allow for a pedestrian underpass connecting the parking and picnic area on the north side of the road with the McGinnis Ferry unit to the south. The Environmental Assessment may be viewed at the following locations:
You may submit comments on the document by mail (Superintendent, CRNRA; 1978 Island Ford Parkway; Sandy Springs, GA 30350), electronic mail (chat_superintendent@nps.gov), or through the PEPC website listed above. Please be aware that your entire comment - including your personal identifying information - may be made publicly available. While you can ask to have your identity withheld, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will always make submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives of organizations or businesses, available for public inspection. The public comment period is open from April 7, 2009 through May 7, 2009. |
Last updated: November 16, 2018