Future Garden Parkway connecting I-485 to U.S. 321 south of Gastonia. (Charlotte: attorney, house)

[NCgirl]

Long post - please bare with me.

I guess I'm a little out of the loop on this one. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that the N.C. Turnpike Authority has plans to build a garden parkway. It will be open in 2015. I see both sides of the debate but I can't help but wonder about the need and timing of this project. The state will spend at least $1.25 billion on this project. What do you think? Is this a good use of DOT funds? Will this be good for the local economy (future housing and retail)?

I didn't know much about it but I was recently in Belmont and saw gastonsecc.com "Impact zone" signs. I was curious so I logged on and learned more about this project. They had links to a few stories including

Some debating necessity of the Gaston parkway

When Charlotte's outerbelt opened last decade, the loop transformed nearby countryside into suburbs.

Backers of a new toll road in Gaston County say the expressway will have a similar impact, sparking economic development......

At issue is whether the state should build a road anticipating growth, or channel its resources into handling growth that's already here.

Southeast Gaston and northern York counties are only 10 to 15 miles from uptown Charlotte. But it can take 45 minutes or longer to get there because there is no bridge over the Catawba River between U.S. 29/74 and N.C. 49 – a distance of about 10 miles.

With developers building homes in far-flung communities such as Waxhaw, the prospect of a new suburb that's only 20 or 25 minutes from uptown via the parkway would be enticing, some say.

“You are looking at another outerbelt,” said Edna Chirico, a commercial Realtor in Gaston. “Look at what happened at those exits; that's what will happen here. The road doesn't go where people live now, but they will be there.”

State Sen. David Hoyle, a Gaston Democrat who has championed the parkway, is part of an investment group that bought 327 acres of land near a proposed exit. Lieutenant governor candidate Robert Pittenger, a Republican, has invested in 2,000 acres near four proposed parkway exits.

The case against the parkway is that Gaston County doesn't have the region's worst traffic. Since 1990, Gaston County has grown much slower than Mecklenburg, York, Union and Cabarrus counties, and slower than the state overall. In addition, I-85 from Charlotte to Gastonia is one of the region's better roads. It has four lanes each way from uptown to Belmont, and three lanes each way through Gastonia.

.....Hartgen said there are a number of more important roads that need to be built or improved before the parkway is built.

He said the state's contribution to the parkway – $35 million annually – should be spent on other road projects, such as widening I-77 in south Charlotte and through Huntersville and Mooresville.

He also said finishing I-485 in northeast Mecklenburg and widening it in south Charlotte is a higher priority than the parkway. Those projects are scheduled to begin in 2015.

Mike Holder, an N.C. DOT division engineer who oversees Gaston County, said the parkway has merits, especially the new bridge crossing. But if he had the option, he said he would spend the parkway money on different projects, such as widening I-77 in Iredell County and building a U.S. 74 bypass in Cleveland County.

David Farren is an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center who promises to fight the parkway.

He said he opposes the road because it's an “old-style type project” that encourages people to drive. “It's a huge project of questionable necessity,” he said. “This is one of the worst projects in the state of North Carolina.”

Gaston residents fear parkway, politicians

Residents along proposed routes for Gaston County's Garden Parkway fear their homes could be demolished to make way for the six-lane expressway.

Some are also concerned that politicians who own land nearby will get favorable treatment when the route is tentatively selected in January.

There are two main routes for the parkway as it crosses the Catawba River and southeast Gaston: a northern route closer to downtown Belmont and a southern route that cuts through affluent communities that hug the South Fork of the Catawba.

While homeowners are increasingly vocal, others are still uncommitted about the route. The city of Belmont hasn't taken a position, and the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is also neutral.

Barry West has lived on the Belmont peninsula for more than 30 years. He grew up in a house on Allison Street, which would likely be demolished if the northern route is chosen. He now lives about two miles to the south, near the proposed southern route.

“I don't think you can stop progress,” said West, 46. “But I'd hate to move. …I've lived on Southpoint Road for 42 years. Would you want to leave your house?”

I can't help but feel bad for those residents.

[Patti1042]

NC girl. I went to the last public forum at SP high school and there were a lot of people that attended. Needless to say, most are nervous about the prospect of a major road coming through their back yard. Then there were some that are wanting to sell their property for the garden parkway.

[southbound_295]

Overall this does not sound like a very good idea. Yes one or 2 well placed, well planned roads out here would be a good idea, but not this.

I'm saying this as someone who never drove on the NJ Turnpike. I knew every free alternate, & no one I knew drove on the turnpike, either.

[NCDave]

More info: North Carolina Turnpike Authority: Garden Parkway

Not all information is current.

[nyxmike]

This parkway would actually parallel I-85 in Gaston County. So, the two free alternate routes would be I-85 and Wilkinson Boulevard. The need for the road is probably to spark economic development in southern Gaston and northern York County as well as provide an alternative to the heavily congested I-85 in Gaston County. There are no plans to widen I-85 in Gaston County and there really isn't much room to do so. The Garden Parkway and the Monroe Bypass will both feature the new toll technology (you don't have to stop and pay cash - you can maintain your speed and a camera takes a picture of your license and they mail you the charge or you can have an electronic tag on your car window). I personally don't have an opinion on this road. I can see both sides of the argument.

[ybnormal1958]

I have attended the workshops hoping to ease tensions with the local residents. I am a Charlotte native for 50 years. Within the past year I made a purchase in the Paradise Point community on the lake. As a resident that would be greatly impacted by the southern route if chose by the state. It would not only de-value my property because of the traffic noise but also obstruct a view that was the main purchasing point of the property.
As a resident it seems the planning commision might have also overlooked the fog hazard that is caused by the Allen Steam Station discharge into the lake. The heated water that is discharged into the lake causes a thick fog that lags over the lake until late morning, from early in the fall and continues until late spring. This is a very consistant and real threat to motorists traveling. If the northern route is selected this would be a non-issue.

[Tbob]

......in other words......."not in my backyard"....right?

[Barkingowl]

Seems like a waste of money to me. Why not fix 485 instead?

[chrharris]

...of doing Business.

I believe from what I have read and what I have heard about this project is what I saw when I lived in NJ.

The toll money from toll roads are supposed to pay for the road. Millions of dollars from these toll roads go for politicians own agendas. Toll roads are a political corruption, BE AWARE!!!!!

In NC we pay vehicle tax, pay to have our vehicles inspected, high gas tax, register our vehicles and allocation tax. This is the money that goes toward roads in NC. If they want to build toll roads then we do not have to pay these taxes anymore. Right???

[chrharris]

In NJ they have Easy Pass. You don't have to make a stop to pay the tolls just like they have announced for NC tolls. They Charge a fee every month to use this service and like everything else that fee goes up an up. And then they have to hire people to work the tolls and they will charge us a fee to cover them. Then they have to mail a statement to you every month, they will charge a fee to you to send that statement. The cost will keep going up on all charges to run these tolls. I have seen it all before on the Garden State Parkway (hhmmm, even the name sounds familar).