Newnan council approves 7-year engineering master agreement, OKs $9.05 million scope study for Lower Fayetteville Road

The Newnan City Council on May 27 approved a seven-year engineering services master agreement with BCC Engineering LLC doing business as Heath and Lineback and authorized a $9,050,230.08 task order to define the scope of the Lower Fayetteville Road project.

The task order covers scoping work — including limits of work, paving, utility relocations and environmental review — for a planned multi-stage widening and intersection improvement project funded largely with federal aid and local SPLOST funding. City staff said federal aid will cover 80% of the task order, leaving an estimated local share of $1,810,046.08.

Why it matters: the project as described to council could expand Lower Fayetteville Road from two lanes to three or four lanes, add raised medians and urban shoulders, and create intersection changes such as roundabouts and additional turn lanes. City engineer Michael Carr told council that the city previously committed to a project framework agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation and warned of potential financial ramifications if council declined design services now. Staff also presented an estimate that all task orders for the corridor could total about $131,000,000, with roughly 80% expected to come from federal aid.

Council discussion focused on cost, timing and procurement. Council member Paul Guillaume questioned whether current prices would be comparable to costs seven years from now; Michael Carr replied that prices for the first phase would not change. Mayor Keith Brady and Council member Rhodes Shell argued that pausing the project would be detrimental to the city’s plan. Council member Dustin Kuratko voiced fiscal concern about committing to large design fees.

Council approved the master agreement by a 5-2 vote, with Kuratko and Guillaume dissenting. The specific scope-definition task order was approved in a 6-1 vote, with Kuratko dissenting. Council materials indicate construction could begin as early as 2031 and that the city expects it will need to acquire rights of way from about 172 parcels, with two years estimated for that phase.

The council packet and GDOT-approved selection documents show BCC/Heath and Lineback were selected after a request for qualifications and negotiation by city staff. The master agreement requires that each task order be brought separately to the council for approval and directs that task funding will come from SPLOST or other identified sources.

Next steps: council approved the task order so staff can proceed with the scope definition; future task orders, funding decisions and right-of-way acquisitions must return to council for approval.