UPDATE: The motion has now passed for submission to the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) after the removal of the I-75 interchange.

  A resolution to apply for funding through the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) did not pass because the vote among the Henry County Board of Commissioners at its September 17 regular meeting ended in a 3-3 tie.

  Nearly a dozen projects were on the list, some of which were identified by county staff in advance and other which were added by board members during the discussion. But one item in particular which has caused disagreements in the past was the deciding factor.

  County staff identified the following projects to be included, either for engineering or construction funding:

• Widening of Hwy. 81 in Phase 1 (east of Lemon Street to the North Bethany Road/South Bethany Road intersection) and Phase 2 (from the Bethany intersection to Keys Ferry Road).
• Widening of Rock Quarry Road from Eagle’s Landing Parkway to Hwy. 42/138 (construction phase funding).
• Roadway resurfacing for Jonesboro road from Chambers Road to the Clayton County line.
• Roadway resurfacing for Hampton-Locust Grove Road from Hwy. 155 to Hwy. 20.
• Roadway resurfacing for East Atlanta Road from Old Conyers Road to Rex Road.

  The commissioners added some other projects to the list, such as Flippen Road from North Henry Blvd. to Jonesboro Rd.; Bill Gardner Parkway from I-75 to Hwy. 155; the Valley Hill Road connector from East Atlanta Road to North Henry Blvd.; and Jodeco Road west of I-75. They also adjusted the Jonesboro Road project to identify Mount Olive Road as the starting point.

  The snag in the plan was board chair June Wood’s intention to include the proposed I-75 interchange near Bethlehem Road. That led to a discussion during which Wood, Bruce Holmes and Dee Clemmons offered differing interpretations of a meeting at the Georgia Department of Transportation, which all three attended.

  Holmes, who has voiced opposition to the interchange idea in the past, said he would not vote on anything related to that project because of what he said was its connection to the so-called “inland port,” which he has opposed because of his view that it would greatly increase truck and tractor-trailer traffic in the county.

  Wood stated that the interchange has nothing to do with the inland port, and there was nothing said at the DOT meeting to suggest otherwise.

  Clemmons charged that DOT officials touted the interchange as a positive move for the state, and she informed them that she represents Henry County first, not the state. Wood corrected her, saying that state officials referred to the benefits for the region that would come from the interchange.

  Gary Barham noted that funding for the interchange was clearly defined on the last SPLOST program approved by voters several years ago. “We can’t ask voters to approve SPLOST V if we can’t follow through with SPLOST IV projects,” he said.

  Johnny Wilson added that the interchange will not bring more tractor-trailers because “they are already here.”

  Holmes made the motion to approve the TIP resolution without the interchange. Clemmons and Vivian Thomas also voted to approve, while Wood, Barham and Wilson cast dissenting votes.

  County manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews urged the board to find some common ground and approve something at the October 1 meeting, and, if not, the county staff would move forward with what is on the transportation plan.