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Traffic
jams in Buford, I-285 point to needs
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
Gwinnett
Forum.com
July 6, 2001 - - Some of the worst traffic jams come
up unexpected. Returning from Gainesville recently, I got off to
go into Buford at the Highway 20 exit. Wow, what a tie-up! And at
about 2:30 in the afternoon! A few minutes later, when returning
to I-985, the jam was still there.
Now we hear traffic at that intersection is often very heavy, many
times jammed up.
What's the cause? From a cursory view, it appears that the new
traffic lights at Horizon Boulevard (near the new Quick-Trip), is
one of the problems, since the traffic light is so close to the
signals at the I-985 bridge and the Lee Street signals. People in
the area tell me this area of Highway 20 is often crowded. Hopefully,
the traffic engineers can find suggestions to improve the flow of
traffic on Highway 20 near this exit and bridge.
* * * * *
Speaking of traffic, the recent accident causing problems on Interstate
285 at Georgia 400, is in the news again. Here was an accident causing
not just tie-ups of traffic temporarily, but actually damaging a
bridge and portion of a road to the point it had to be re-built.
The Department of Transportation did yeoman service in repairing
I-285 in a relatively quick manner, two weeks sooner than anticipated.
The damage to the Interstate makes having an alternate to I-285,
our most congested traffic artery in all of Atlanta, more relevant
than ever.
Yet there are still opponents to the Northern Arc, that roadway
to link I-75 on the west with I-85 on the east. It would relieve
loads of traffic off a large portion of I-85 in Gwinnett, and make
traveling on the northern stretches of I-285 much simpler.
Word this week that the Northern Arc is on target to start by 2004
is welcomed news.
The sad part is that, even when built, the road is expected to
be completed no sooner than 10 years. Vehicles on the road by then
will have grown to a point that we may not see much improvement
in traffic flow. Yet without the Northern Arc, many portions of
the Interstate north of Atlanta by then will be virtual parking
lots, not roads.
We say you can't complete the Northern Arc soon enough. Perhaps
the DOT can work its magic and finish it ahead of schedule, too!
* * * * *
Former Buford banker Don McEnery, who retired to Niceville, Fla.,
is like many who retired: he's back at work, a part-timer at the
Southtrust Bank near Bluewater Bay, where Don is now living. They
should count themselves lucky to get his services! He's usually
working Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the bank there, but also finds
lots of time to travel. Don was in Atlanta recently to run in the
Peachtree Road Race.
* * * * *
Another banker, Joel Taylor is back in Gwinnett, having lived most
recently in Chapin, S.C., near Columbia. He is now associated with
Emery National Bank, out of their Lawrenceville main office, as
senior vice president for commercial lending. He expects to be buying
a house in the community soon.
FEEDBACK
Questions Commission Work
July 3, 2001
Editor, The Forum:
I want to publicly thank Elliott Brack for confirming what we,
SGNA, SaveGwinnett, Boot Hill, etc., have been saying for several
years now, which is that Gwinnett government is not conducted in
a professional manner.
Mr. Brack explains (See GwinenttForum, July 3) how Gwinnett County,
operates by relationships and not by intellectual discussion, sound
business practices or appropriate accounting trails.
Now the immature BOC, lead by Wayne Hill is "punishing"
Commissioner Neaton-Griggs and the people in District 1 because
her husband, web designer Bob Griggs, has a mind and opinion of
his own.
For the record, we pay Bob Griggs to design the SaveGwinnett web
site. Mark Williams is the president of SaveGwinnett. He tells Griggs
what to put on the SaveGwinnett site based on input from a small
group of us, myself included. SaveGwinnett now provides the public
with access to the conduct of the Gwinnett BOC at <http://www.savegwinnet.com>http://www.savegwinnet.com
so that the general public can make their own assessment of how
well the county is being governed.
Unlike the Gwinnett BOC, we brainstorm, discuss and many times
disagree with a course of action. But none of us sacrifice integrity,
principles or identity to get things done. We don't need to punish
one another, we can agree to disagree.
BTW Mr. Brack, how one conducts his own personal business is vastly
different from how "elected" county officials conduct
county business. Me thinks the BOC is very afraid of being held
"accountable".
-- Brenda D. Lee, Lilburn, Ga.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
"What then is the American, this new man?...He is an American,
who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners,
receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the
new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds. He becomes an
American by being received in the broad lap of our great Alma Mater.
Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men,
whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the
world."
- - Michel Guillaume Jean de Crevecoeur, from
Letters from an American Farmer, at the beginning of our country
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