ANDREWS: County needs to relocate multi-use trail plans

Published 6:30 pm Sunday, September 27, 2020

Talking to people involved presents a California-type vision for the multi-use trail around the municipal airport. People on foot using the trail for exercise, bicycles packing the road. Schools bringing students to the trail for exercise and promoting local area student use. This is also shown in petitions requesting this project. This is dangerous with increasing risk to all. Review of airport development prints shows the east runway end road removed to meet new FAA airport standards for safety. The west end road moved west of the enlarged runway end for the same reason. The takeoff and landing of aircraft is a danger to people, and traffic is too close to the runway end. Tall commercial trucks at the runway end can be a danger to aircraft during takeoff. The trail imposes a conflict that reduces development of the airport that provides important benefits and money to Baldwin County. Papers show runway development to be approved by the county commission. The airport building is shown registered as a safe area. The path project violates this intent. Trails reduce property values in the eyes of the purchaser when homes are for sale. Lake Port Road has heavy traffic from subdivisions. Increased bicycle traffic increases risk to all and worst of all, injury or death to bicyclists. The county officials need to know that side of road right-of-ways were developed for maintenance of power lines, water mains, gas lines and grass and tree trimming, not for trail development that interferes with maintenance and utilities required by all. Cars can pull off road for flat tires, accidents, breakdowns, phone calls and not violate a proposed not to enter restriction because of the close to road trail. The county manager needs to move the project to a safer area. 

James Andrews

Milledgeville