Coalition for the Right Road meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 6 pm

Join us for a meeting on Tuesday, February 7 at 6 pm about the Georgia Department of Transportation’s proposed route, Route D-VE, for the U.S. 411 Connector. The meeting will be held at the Shoney’s on SR 20 in Cartersville – see enclosed handout. While there hasn’t been much reported on the connector in recent weeks, the Coalition has some updates about the road, pending environmental issues and more.

Keep in mind, the Coalition is an organization committed to ensuring the 411 Connector is built at the lowest cost to taxpayers with minimal impact to the local environment. Membership/attendance is open to anyone who shares these concerns.

If interested in attending, please RSVP to us411connector@gmail.com.

We hope to see you there.

2012: Working to Kill GDOT’s Route D-VE & to Save Taxpayers $100+ Million

The Coalition for the Right Road had an extremely successful 2011 and severely impacted/slowed GDOT’s plans for its wasteful, environmentally damaging U.S. 411 Connector route, Route D-VE.

This year it’s time to deliver the knockout punch to the route – which will cost taxpayers $112 million more than much shorter, smarter alternate routes. To date, GDOT has still failed to study geologic conditions at Dobbins Mountain and the potential for the acidic runoff in nearby creeks and streams. There are additional issues GDOT has failed to report or study and those announcements are forthcoming in the weeks ahead – so stay tuned.

The bottom line is; we’re not going anywhere. The coalition is committed to finding a practical route for the needed 411 Connector, but we remain dedicated to killing this absurd, costly route once and for all.

Make sure you check out our Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/411CORR) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/411CORR) pages for updates about Coalition meetings and announcements, upcoming trips to GDOT board meetings, news about the road and more. (If not a fan or follower of these pages, please do so.)

Thanks to all of those that have signed petitions (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/411corr/ – please sign if you have not already done so) to stop Route D-VE and that attended coalition-related events, meetings, etc. Your help and support is always appreciated!

Wishing you and yours a great 2012.

Coalition for the Right Road

CORR

Letter from Cartersville Ranch, LLC attorney corrects Rome/Floyd County officials about 411 Connector

It appears yet again that Rome and Floyd County officials can’t seem to get their facts straight about the 411 Connector, GDOT’s environmental work (or lack thereof) and more. Thankfully, Cartersville Ranch, LLC attorney Henry Parkman explained the cold, hard facts to them about this ill-conceived route and took the time to correct their continued falsehoods. To read the series of letters from Parkman and Rome/Floyd County, CLICK HERE.

(It also includes letters from Senator Mullis, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which point out the errors in Rome/Floyd County’s original correspondence.)

Listen to recent WRGA-AM interviews with attorney for Cartersville Ranch, LLC about the 411 Connector

So you missed the recent Hometown Headlines radio interviews with Cartersville Ranch, LLC attorney Henry Parkman about the 411 Connector? No worries, we’ve got you covered.

In the recent interviews Parkman discussed several issues (e.g. cost, environmental, etc.) about GDOT’s proposed route (Route D-VE). He also addressed the latest development about the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ certification (now permanent protection) of the wildlife refuge on Dobbins Mountain.

To listen to the interviews, CLICK HERE and HERE. (Place your cursor over the speaker and a menu of audio options will appear.)

Euharlee Wildlife Refuge on Dobbins Mountain is Certified by State

In a major development, the director of the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources recently certified that the Euharlee conservation easement at Dobbins Mountain provides “wildlife habitat protection through the conservation of high priority species and habitats.” Click here to read the letter.

Now that DNR has certified that one of the major purposes and functions of the conservation easement is for a wildlife refuge, together with the City of Euharlee’s designation of the easement as a significant wildlife refuge, federal law requires GDOT to abandon its proposed 411 Connector route (Route D-VE), and to pursue a feasible and prudent alternative. Once the Federal Highway Administration acknowledges these determinations by DNR and the City of Euharlee, the wildlife refuge at Dobbins Mountain will be permanently preserved.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: GDOT’s stream and acidic runoff studies remain missing

Here is the latest letter from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service about GDOT’s incomplete environmental work for its proposed 411 Connector route (Route D-VE). We thought GDOT “dotted i’s and crossed t’s” during its work on this route; the feds are saying otherwise.

(Click on the below image to view the letter.)

Coalition for the Right Road meeting – Thurs., Sept. 15

Join us for a meeting/update on the U.S. 411 Connector and the impact of the proposed route, Route D-VE. CORR will address the alleged reports and possibility of an alternate route for the connector, ongoing CORR activities, upcoming events and more.

Time:

Thursday, September 15 · 6:00pm – 7:00pm

Location:

Community Room at The Cove

90 Liberty Square Drive Northeast in Cartersville

Coalition to Protest GDOT’s U.S. 411 Connector at Public Forum; Route is Massive Waste of Taxpayer Money & Imminent Environmental Threat to County

WHO:  Coalition for the Right Road (CORR) is an organization of Georgia citizens committed to making sure the U.S. 411 Connector is built with minimal environmental impact and at the lowest cost to taxpayers. CORR is opposed to the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) current plans for the 411 Connector (Route D-VE) because of its excessive cost, its inefficient interchange, and the harm it will cause to the environment.

Leaders from CORR, who are very familiar with the issues facing the connector, will be available for comment.

WHAT:  GDOT is hosting a public forum to review federally funded projects in Bartow County, which includes the proposed 411 Connector. Route D-VE will cost taxpayers at least $100 million more than alternative Route G, is longer in distance, will take significantly longer to construct and face legal issues from nearby landowners. GDOT wants to unnecessarily blast through Dobbins Mountain, further jeopardize the threatened and federally-protected Cherokee darter, and bisect the 107-acre Euharlee wildlife refuge and historic Dobbins Mine.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service recently stated that GDOT has still not studied the potential for acidic drainage from the required road cut at Dobbins Mountain or 1,000 linear feet of streams it missed in the path of Route D-VE.

Other alternate routes studied by GDOT are more cost effective and less environmentally intrusive, and alleviate local traffic congestion.

WHEN:  Tuesday, August 23 (5 to 7 pm)

WHERE:  GDOT District Six Office (Conference Room); 500 Joe Frank Harris Parkway, Cartersville

VISUALS:  A crowd of passionate residents negatively impacted by the route. Affected citizens will be expressing their displeasure (with signage) and encouraging GDOT and elected officials to select a route that does not waste taxpayer money, is shorter, requires less construction time, and preserves our environment and way of life.

Letter to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Confirms GDOT Has Failed to Study Dobbins Mountain

Listed below is a letter from Cartersville Ranch, LLC attorney Henry Parkman to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service regarding Dobbins Mountain. To date, GDOT has STILL not studied the mountain for potential acidic drainage issues; nor has GDOT recommended a mitigation plan to contain any harmful runoff.

Interestingly, the letter notes that GDOT is well-aware of acidic drainage issues on other state road projects (read example listed by Parkman), yet GDOT has failed to test Dobbins Mountain’s acidic soil and geology. It’s a very interesting, worthwhile read about the potential environmental problem facing Bartow County and Cartersville.

(Click on the images to enlarge the letter.)

WRGA-AM interview: Attorney says GDOT’s environmental work for Route D-VE remains incomplete

Yesterday morning on the Hometown Headlines radio show on WRGA-AM, Cartersville Ranch, LLC attorney Henry Parkman addressed several issues (e.g. cost, environmental, etc.) with GDOT’s proposed U.S. 411 Connector route (Route D-VE). GDOT’s failure thus far to study Dobbins Mountain and the potential for acidic drainage into nearby streams and waterways was a major topic of discussion.

To listen to the complete interview, click here. (Place your cursor over the speaker and a menu of audio options will appear.)

Neighborhoods next to Dobbins Mountain and proposed route for U.S. 411 Connector