The release of Cobb County’s plan to control traffic during Braves games has caused a furor on both sides of the Chattahoochee. In Cobb, the plan has residents of Vinings, Smyrna, and East Cobb concerned over plans to use major roads they rely on to commute to and from work as officially designated routes to and from Braves games starting next April.
But a true explosion has occurred in SandySprings, where Cobb transportation officials offered a plan that includes making neighborhood streets in that city official routes for Braves games as well. Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul reacted angrily earlier this week when the plans including his city were announced. Paul claimed to be surprised at the decision. But an AJC story on Thursday made it clear that Paul had written to Braves officials in 2014 requesting various alternatives for handling traffic flow to and from Braves games in his city, including the very proposal made by Cobb officials.
That story reportedly led to a furious string of emails and neighborhood association postings within the city alerting Sandy Springs citizens of the oncoming potential traffic nightmare.
But lost in all of the hoopla was the fact that Paul’s letter, which set forward very specific public transportation requests and priorities, was addressed not to public transportation officials, but to executives with the Braves organization. Expect the media to begin to drill into the issue of to what extent a private corporation has been given the ability to determine where public funds are spent related to all aspects of the new stadium in Cobb.
Experts say that Cobb transportation officials and even Sandy Springs leaders would be unable to accomplish many of their various transportation goals without approval from the state DOT. DOT members contacted by IA said they were unaware of the details of any plan put forth by Cobb leaders…or the Braves. And this is just the top of the first inning.
