Residents urge Rockdale County to rethink River Trail connector amid safety, privacy and floodplain concerns

Rockdale County residents who would be affected by the proposed Rockdale River Trail connector told the county board on Sept. 9 they oppose the current routing, raising safety, privacy and floodplain concerns and asking commissioners to reconsider alignments.

Director Hammer presented a concept-stage update on the connector between Heritage High School and the Monastery of the Holy Spirit and said the project team has identified multiple route options. Hammer said the concept report will be submitted to the Georgia Department of Transportation for review and that staff held two public open houses in August; the public-comment period remains open through the end of the month.

Multiple residents who spoke during the public-comment period urged the county to choose a different alignment. Tiffany Jacobs, an Abbey Ridge resident, said she supports expanding the county’s trail system but cannot support the project “as it is currently planned,” citing Highway 212’s high speeds and a documented history of accidents that she said make the corridor unsafe for pedestrians and schoolchildren.

"Even with added signage and painted crossings, the highway's conditions are not conducive to the safety of pedestrian activity," Jacobs said.

Several speakers who live near the proposed corridor said the trail would run adjacent to front yards, invite parking in neighborhoods, and reduce residents’ sense of privacy. Kaye Wilson said the route would be “an invasion of our community,” and Jim Wilson, representing East Mill Forest, cited a petition he said contains more than 40 names opposing the alignment. Reverend Francine Potter later presented a petition of 74 signatures opposing the routing into East Mill Forest and urged the board to return to earlier concept maps that routed the trail through other corridors.

Neighborhood speakers also raised technical concerns. Jim Wilson and others pointed to sections that cross floodplain and Honey Creek, warning the trail would be subject to repeated flooding and costly maintenance. Theodore Davis said portions of the proposed route would be secluded and difficult for emergency access, and he questioned how students would safely use the alignment to reach Heritage High School.

Supporters of further study urged the county to consider alternative corridors, bring additional environmental and engineering expertise together, and coordinate with nearby jurisdictions. John Speck, a local resident who said he helps evaluate county investments, urged staff to walk the route with residents and to examine grant opportunities that might alter feasibility or alignment.

Director Hammer said the project team had identified three main route concepts and noted trade-offs including constructability, environmental impacts, structural needs (bridges or boardwalks), property impacts and cost. He said the engineers will compile public comments and return a charted summary to the board; he reiterated that most of the project funding is expected from GDOT with a local match required and that staff will present the compiled comments and recommendations to the board.

What’s next: Staff will compile the comment record from the open houses and the public comment period, incorporate that feedback into the concept report and present options to the board after GDOT review. No final alignment was approved at the Sept. 9 meeting.