ERICKSON: Expansion time for Macon-Bibb
The Macon-Bibb County Commission has overriden the mayor's veto. The matter at hand was whether the mayor had discretion to fire department heads without interference from the commission. Back when the Macon city government existed, department heads would suck up to members of City Council, knowing they could slack off and get protected as long as certain members were their friends.
I hope the local legislative delegation will continue to adhere to the charter as passed in 2012 that the mayor alone has the power to fire. Having a county commission that can play to headlines and claim racial grievances where there are none, etc. is too much temptation. Politicians know how to play to the crowd and turn the incompetent into victims.
Another matter the county needs to attend to is Bass Road. While the county is still trying to finish Forest Hill Road — a road long since removed as a major source of traffic — Bass Road is growing. New development is coming.
The road is becoming less and less usable as a conveyor of traffic. With the Academy for Classical Education at one end and First Presbyterian Day School at the other — along with access to Stratford Academy, Sonny Carter Elementary School and the Georgia Farm Bureau — morning traffic is a nightmare and now afternoon traffic is, too.
On Thursday morning, traffic backed up from the four way stop at New Forsyth Road to the Bass Road intersection with Rivoli Drive. That is several miles long. When the Academy for Classical Education lets out early during lunch rush hour, the same thing happens. In between, it is no longer uncommon to have a 20 car line with the car in front doing no more than 25 miles an hour.
Just a few weeks ago, I was in such a line. I happened to be the second card behind the slowpoke. I assumed it was a senior citizen, but it turned out to be a soccer mom eating an ice cream cone while texting and driving. I'm not kidding. The situation is only going to get worse, and I hope our governmental leaders realize quickly that they need to start planning for an expansion of the road.
On the south side remains the situation with the airport. I am not sure what our political leaders will do, but they need to do something. The runway needs additional footage to increase the size of plane it can handle and the number of take offs and landings. It is an economic necessity for the entire region. While I do not think the county wants to surrender airport management to a regional commission, with the increase in cargo traffic on the regions roads, it might be worth some regional talks.
Warner Robins and some community activists seem keen on trying to get Robins Air Force Base to let civilian and commercial aviation take place on that runway. These folks do not want to expand the Middle Georgia Regional Airport for a host of reasons, including the standard anti-growth reason. But with the Savannah port expansion, the coming expansion of the Interstate 75/Interstate 16 area, and urban sprawl from Atlanta headed south, increasing the length of the runway is one of the smartest things the region could do. It is not even for travel, but for cargo.
An expanded runway would suddenly make that vacant plot of industrial land in Monroe County more attractive. It would make the industrial area near Sardis Church Road more attractive. It has serious economic potential. Unfortunately, it also makes sense to do, which is often a deal breaker in local government.
Erick Erickson is a Fox News contributor and radio talk show host in Atlanta.
This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 8:04 PM with the headline "ERICKSON: Expansion time for Macon-Bibb ."