If it weren't for the Rollins family and people like you Shelby, there would be no protracted legal battle. The road would have already been built 20 years ago. Now regardless of the final route the road will cost tens of millions more because of the prior legal actions by Rollins.

The actual story goes... If GDOT stuck with the Ridge Route, the originally approved route, in the late 1980's, "Katherine M" and the others could have had a road. Also, had they followed the law when they tried to build Route D (through the Rollins property during that same time) you'd still have the road. So, that's two times the road could have been built at a much cheaper cost.

Instead, GDOT broke federal laws in the process, which ended the project - and of course now requires more taxpayer dollars. The Rollins excuse is a lame cop out for GDOT's epic failure on this road and their prior illegal practices, which got them into this bind and more of our tax dollars. Thanks, GDOT.

Oh Bill - YOU are so very right!!!! And Mr. Loudermilk has further proven how far off he continues to be with regard to all issues related to the 411 Connector. I wish he would read and learn the truth. Oh, I forget, he's a politician and just spewing forth the platform talking points - how silly of me.

Since Barry was elected with over 80% of the vote last year, I'm sure he's shaking in his boots that the ten people who live in his district and are opposed to the road will vote against him.

SB, Sorry you're close, but again not quite correct. Barry won with slightly more than 75% of those who voted. True, he handily beat Mike Burton. The Constitution also requires that our representatives do just that, represent all of the people in the district. So it always behooves them to be willing and able to listen to and hear all sides of the issues at stake. Who knows? Someday they might even learn something! Until then ignoring or cavalierly writing off chunks of the electorate and your fellow citizens has always been known and recognized in thought and action as being more than a little autocratic and hubristic. JMP

JM, I'm sure there's a few commies in his district and maybe a KKK member. Using your logic he should listen to them also. Barry has done an excellent job in the house and now in the senate, and represents the majority viewpoint of his district well. And the overwhelming majority are ready for the road to be built and the Rollins' groupies to go away.

KM, I've lived here for quite awhile, I can recall far more folks with KKK sympathies over the very rare 'commie'. Be that as it may, the point was that it often pays to listen to everyone a bit. That's what we pay their salaries for. That's what makes them at all deserving of the title of 'public servant'. Even an overwhelming majority does not now nor ever did have the right to abuse the rest of the population at their pleasure. At least not according to our Constitution. That's what my point was. If someone's petitioning the government to address certain grievances, you should not think that it's best just to ignore the lot of them. That's the Chinese way after all. And yes, they sure beat us for building infrastructure on any day of the week. No questions asked or broached. I'm sure there's a happy medium in there somewhere. JMP

To all the Rollins' groupies (as Kat calls them), the Cartersville City Council tonight approved agreements connected with the 411 Connector that makes it clear the path thru Rollins' property (DV-E) will be built and no alternates are being considered.

Interesting how you and Katherine M conveniently crush on the Rollins anytime this road is mentioned.

The city is a ways down the totem pole from GDOT and the feds - the real decision makers on what will actually happen in the end. They can approve "agreements" all day long.. and I'm not seeing much, if any, on these big agreements in the media. Whatever, it's far from over and still doubtful it will ever happen in its current state. Least that's the word coming from several in Atlanta.

The item approved by the city council had to do with the widening of SR 20 from I-75 to U.S. 411, which is a separate project, although I guess it could be considered indirectly related to the U.S. 411 Connector project. Just a point of clarification.

Brande, just looked at the map and resolution it was for both Highway 20 reroute and 411 Connector - String Bean is right. It shows that once the Highway 20 reroute AND the 411 Connector are both completed, then 411 and 20 will officially run together on the new 411 connector highway from the current Rome exit on 41 down to existing 411 at the Rollins property. At that point 411 will pick up and head north on it's current route under 75 to White as it does now. The current stretch of of 411 from Rollins down to the Cloverleaf will no longer be designated 411. Highway 20 will continue on the new connector thru the Rollins property and intersect with I-75 and the current junction with Hwy 20. The current leg of Hwy 20 that runs from 75 past Wal-Mart down to Storage Key would no longer be designated Hyw 20. The resolution states that this stretch of 20 along with the stretch of 411 from Rollins to Cloverleaf would BOTH become local roads and not state or federal highways.

What may be confusing folks is that some of Hwy 20 and Hwy 411 that will no longer be considered state or federal highway will be turned over to the City of Cartersville and part will be turned over to Bartow County.

One error I found in my first post... where I said "The current leg of Hwy 20 that runs from 75 past Wal-Mart down to Storage Key would no longer be designated Hyw 20"... the portion from 75 down to GA Highlands plus the new segment cutting across to intersect with Peeples Valley Road would be designated 20 Connector, and the existing section from GA Highlands down to Storage Key would become a local street.

Thanks Chuck, I did not look at the maps very much. I based my previous post on what was said at the city council meeting last night. All they talked about changing to a city maintained roadway was the part of GA 20 in front of the conference center. And they referenced this measure only with the widening of 20 project. Maybe they didn't want to bring up the Connector project. That agenda was a bit confusing because in the comments by city officials, they say the 411 project, not the 411 Connector project, which is what I'm used to calling it. Anyway, I stand corrected. Thanks!

I have a feeling you're right about the council not wanting to draw attention to the 411 Connector during the meeting. There was a blow-up of the little segment of road from Storage Key to the Cloverleaf on the map and it seemed like they were deliberately trying to call attention to that. And Dolomite is correct in that this will have no impact on whether or not the road is built as planned... but does show the DOT is still moving full steam ahead with their original plan.