The Villa Rica bypass project might not have the funding to proceed anytime soon, but it isn’t because of lack of interest on the part of residents.

A three-hour public information open house held Thursday night as part of the planning process by the Georgia Department of Transportation drew more than 200 people, some of whom showed up 30 minutes before the open house was even scheduled to begin to ensure they got one of the first looks at detailed drawings of the planned route.

“I think it’s fantastic,” City Manager Larry Wood said. “I still haven’t talked to anybody who doesn’t want to push forward with this project.”

The proposed plans call for building a new transportation link that connects Highway 61 to Highway 101 on the north side of Villa Rica. It would eliminate the heavy traffic through town by allowing motorists to bypass the city itself on a route that connects to Interstate 20. The bypass will be broken into two projects: The first will begin just south of the intersection of Highway 101/Industrial Boulevard and Rockmart Road, proceed on a new route in an easterly direction, and end at Highway 61. The second project includes the eastern segment of the bypass, which will continue the bypass from Highway 61 on the northeast side of Villa Rica to Liberty Road and its interchange with I-20.

“The Villa Rica bypass has been split into two projects for better manageability and fundability,” DOT spokesman Mohamed Arafa said.

Villa Rica entered into a contract with the DOT nearly 10 years ago that stated if Villa Rica would pay for the necessary engineering and environmental aspects of the project, the state would purchase the right of way and fund construction. But with the city near completion of its part of that equation, and right-of-way acquisition scheduled for later this year, the DOT informed city officials the funding won’t be available for at least a few more years.

A written statement by DOT officials to those attending the open house said: “Due to the existing economic situation, there is currently no funding available for this project. This project is currently not in the Georgia Department of Transportation ‘Draft Fiscal Year 2010-2010 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)’ nor is it in the ‘Active Fiscal Year 2008-2011 STIP.’”

Arafa explained that 80 percent of the Villa Rica project’s funding would come from federal highway funds and the remaining 20 percent would be part of a state match. When funding does become available for the bypass, the order in which the two aspects of the project are complete will depend entirely on how much funding is available.

“In the end, funding will be a deciding factor,” he said.

There is no question, either locally or on the state level, that the project is sorely needed in Villa Rica, as proven by a number of traffic studies that have been conducted in the area. It is hoped that the bypass would also make travel through the city safer because DOT statistics show that Highway 61 and Highway 101 have higher accident rates than the statewide average.

“Villa Rica is under development pressure and there is a need to improve access for commuters traveling to and from I-20,” Arafa said. “When complete, it will also enhance safety on the affected roadways, especially downtown.”

The open house is a requirement of projects receiving state funding and there will be at least one public hearing in Villa Rica before construction begins. Though it fulfills a requirement, Arafa said the open house also serves to allow DOT officials to gauge how vital the project is to the community, what impact right-of-way acquisition will have on the community and how many local property parcels will be affected. In Villa Rica, there are 70 property owners who will be affected by the bypass as the plan is currently proposed.

“The public’s concerns can make a big difference in the early planning process,” Arafa said. “The public’s involvement can help bring it up on the list or push it back based on whether people support it or oppose it.”

For those who couldn’t attend the open house, written comments can be made through April 16 to Mr. Glenn Bowman, P.E., State Environmental/Location Engineer, Georgia Department of Transportation, 3993 Aviation Circle, Atlanta, GA 30336-1593. Comments can also be made via the Internet at www.dot.ga.gov. Click on “Public Outreach” from the “Information Center” dropdown menu at the top right side of the Web page.