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Politics & Government

Multi-County Toll Road Called 'Innovative'

Paulding County officials hope to improve interstate access to western Georgia counties and increase jobs.

"Innovative" is the word Paulding County officials continue to hear as they present a new idea to surrounding counties.

By 2019, the new Western Commercial Connector will be completed if this idea of Blake Swafford comes to fruition.

Swafford is the director of the Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport, president of the Georgia Airports Association and executive director of the Paulding County Industrial Building Authority.

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As a result, Swafford has gained statewide recognition for the county's new airport.

For instance, Swafford was on the front cover of the April 2010 issue of Airport Business magazine.  The cover story on Swafford was titled "From the Ground Up." 

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Then in February, an update on the airport was published by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

Along with Paulding County Commission Chairman David Austin, Swafford is in the process of making presentations to neighboring county boards of commissioners, encouraging them to jump on board this project and also to form the Western Connector Joint Development Authority (WCJDA) and support a Joint Authority Forum.

With Austin, Swafford made a presentation to the Spalding County Board of Commissioners on April 18.

Swafford said he is hopeful that Spalding, Carroll, Bartow and other governments and agencies will join Paulding in supporting the construction of this local toll road.

As goods arrive at the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick, the freight is transported by rail and truck throughout the nation, Swafford explained, with that truck traffic heading up Interstate 75.

Instead, Swafford said this new road could divert truck traffic around downtown Atlanta through the western section of Georgia, where the trucks would reconnect with I-75 somewhere north of Atlanta.

This plan, of course, could provide much-needed relief from the traffic congestion through downtown Atlanta. Dallas Mayor Boyd Austin said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said he was "impressed" by the idea that is based upon a European transportation model.

By coming through such western counties as Spalding, Carroll, Paulding and Bartow, Swafford said there would be "massive growth" at the interchanges with accompanying jobs.

Funding would come mainly through private tolls, Swafford said.

Federal or state approval or control would not be needed since the project would involve agreements among county governments, he added.

Since the road would intersect state and federal roadways at only a few points, Swafford said he is hopeful that state and federal intervention would be minimal.

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