Is the Waycross bypass dead — again?
There were lots of questions, but few answers on the proposed bypass Tuesday night as three residents addressed commissioners at the board’s first meeting of the year. Two others were scheduled to address the topic, but were not present.
County chairman Neal Bennett and First District Commissioner Troy Mattox both indicated the bypass issue might soon be a moot point.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, Chairman Bennett addressed the gallery prior to public participation and told those present the county supported the resolution for the bypass, along with Brantley County, at Ware County’s request. Bennett stressed that he had not signed the resolution of support and was inclined not to in light of public opposition to the proposal in Pierce County. Bennett also said he was of the opinion the Pierce County Commission would not support the plan in light of public backlash against the proposal. Bennett said Brantley County’s Commission was also to vote on rescinding their support for the bypass. The Brantley Commissioners did so Thursday night, pending further information.
Bennett went on to set restrictions on comments saying the commission could not answer questions about timeline, costs, proposed routes and other detailed plans about the bypass because it was too early in the process for that information to be finalized.
Georgia Department of Transportation projects generally take 5-10 years—or longer—in planning before construction takes place.
Blake Edwards, who has led opposition to the project, was the first speaker.
Edwards asked if the question would be put to the voters. He said he had talked to Ware County Representative James Burchett (R-Waycross) and had been told Ware County voters would get to decide. Edwards asked if Pierce voters would get a similar referendum.
Bennett said the question could be placed on the ballot as a non-binding referendum in the May primary, but both the Democratic and Republican Parties in Pierce County would have to agree to place it on both ballots.
Pierce County’s State Representative Steven Meeks (R-Screven) said he had inquired about how to call for a referendum on the bypass with the General Assembly’s general counsel, but has not yet received an answer.
Edwards then asked how the referendum question would be worded.
Bennett said that would have to be agreed on by the parties, but he suggested a simple question: Should a Waycross bypass be built? Yes or no?
A referendum might not be needed, however.
Commissioner Mattox said he believes the bypass proposal is “history”.
Another resident, Jeremy Boyette, told commissioners he was opposed to the bypass. Instead, he proposed an underpass be built under the railroad at Lairsey Crossing.
Asked how that would work, Boyette suggested tunneling under the railroad.
Resident John Wilson told commissioners they were acting like Former Democratic U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (DCalifornia).
“From what I gather, y’all are acting like Speaker Pelosi. You want us to pass this (bypass) thing so we can see what’s in it,” he said.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with Nancy Pelosi,” Bennett snapped back at Wilson.
No decisions were made during the commissioner’s meeting.
Bennett said after the meeting, his sense is there is no support to move forward with the bypass.
The bypass proposal was resurrected in October, when the old east bypass idea from 2002 was brought back up— but this time expanded to a perimter road all the way around Waycross.
The 2025 proposal would use Midway Church Road and Hacklebarney/ Cason Roads in Pierce County for a phase of the perimeter road. The road would also pass through a small part of Brantley County in the Central Avenue Extension area, before crossing U.S. 82 near Aycock Road in Ware County, crossing U.S. 1 below Walker Jones and going below CSX’s Rice Yard to come back up through Jamestown and back to Hacklebarney/Cason.
The original 2002 proposal was cancelled in 2015 also due to public opposition.
Still, the idea has continued to float around as a way to accomodate future growth specifically geared toward handling truck traffic and congestion and delays by trains blocking railroad crossings.
Chairman Bennett himself pointed out that at the pace Pierce County is issuing housing permits, the population could go from around 21,000 now to nearly 40,000 in the next 25 years.
“Those 19,000 people are going to have cars and they are going to have to be able to get where they need to go,” he said. “We should focus on Pierce County’s transportation needs.”
