THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

THE GEORGIA RAIL PASSENGER AUTHORITY

THE GEORGIA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

TO HOLD

A LOCATION AND DESIGN PUBLIC HEARING

FOR PROJECT ATHENS TO ATLANTA COMMUTER RAIL
CLARKE, OCONEE, BARROW, GWINNETT, DEKALB, AND FULTON COUNTIES

On July 14 – 16, 2003 the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the Georgia Rail Passenger Authority (GRPA), and Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) the will hold public hearings concerning the proposed Location and Design of the Athens to Atlanta Commuter Rail Project.  The hearings will be held at the following locations, times and dates:

The referenced project proposes the development of commuter rail between Athens and Atlanta, Georgia using the existing freight rail corridors, Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation.  This project includes rehabilitation of existing trackage, construction of new trackage, and other support facilities as well as ten rail stations.  The proposed project will traverse a corridor approximately 72 miles in length through six counties.

Representatives from GDOT, GRPA, and GRTA will be available during the public hearings with plans and displays.  The public will have an opportunity to attend any one of the hearings at its convenience to ask questions and discuss the project with a GDOT, GRPA, or GRTA representative.  Relocation assistance will be discussed at the hearing.  There will be no formal presentation.

A court reporter will be available during this time to allow the public an opportunity to make comments about the project.  These comments will be included in the transcript of the hearing.

The Draft Environmental Assessment document will also be available for public review on the Internet at www.garail.com beginning June 16, 2003, and at the following locations:

Written statements may be submitted to:      

        Mr. Harvey D. Keepler

        State Environmental/Location Engineer

        3993 Aviation Circle

        Atlanta, Georgia  30336‑1593

Written statements should be sent by July 31, 2003.  The displays at the public hearing will be available for review after the public hearing beginning on July 21, 2003 for ten days at the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, 245 Peachtree Center, NE, Suite 900, Atlanta, Georgia 30303; at the Georgia Rail Passenger Authority, 7 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Room 142, Atlanta, Georgia 30334; and at the following Georgia Department of Transportation Area Offices: Athens Area Office, 450 Old Hull Road, Athens, Georgia 30601; Lawrenceville Area Office, 892 High Hope Road, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043; Decatur Area Office, 805 George Luther Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30032; City of Atlanta Area Office, 21 Claire Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30315.

Also, as soon as the transcripts of the hearings are prepared, they also will be available at these locations.

There is wetland involvement on this project.  Unavoidable wetland losses would be mitigated by restoration of existing degraded wetland habitats or creation of new wetlands.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is in need of providing wetland mitigation for their projects.  Land for wetland mitigation, in the form of restoring degraded wetlands:

        1.  must be relatively near the project (no greater than ten miles);

        2.  must not be existing wetlands or swamp (potential restoration areas should show signs of being previously ditched or drained or converted to non‑wetland use such as agriculture or silvaculture); and,

        3.  must be easily accessible by local or state roads.

Anyone who has such property and would be willing to sell it to the state for wetland restoration should send a letter, with a map (USGS Topographic Quad Sheet, County road map, or detailed drawing) clearly showing the location of the degraded wetland, to Harvey D. Keepler, at the above address.

Copies of the environmental document are available by sending a request to Mr. Harvey Keepler at the address listed above.