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If money is spent turning either into interstates, especially 117, that will knock 264 even further down the line.
I would disagree to an extent...there is validity to both of the routes in this article...but a 264 interstate "spur" is more about designation than actual "construction".
What the State is talking about here is going ahead with the designation of these routes so that all future construction can be done to interstate "standards"...working toward interstate status and obviously connecting to I-95.
The next step would be to designate Highway 17 from Wilmington to New Bern as such...an area with obvious shortcomings....not only is it increasingly busy especially from Jacksonville to Wilmington, but it has antiquated 2 lane sections through Jones County.
I do agree with the economists that a Northern Kinston bypass would be preferred. Not only the GTP, but there is a huge Dupont plant on Highway 11 and with the Greenville bypass extending to Ayden, it gets you all you need IMO. That Highway 11 section between the 70 northern loop and Ayden could just be considered an industrial corridor on the existing 4 lane road...and it moves at pretty good speeds right now. Some corridor zoning by the counties could help manage it.
I stumbled across this thread yesterday and have been reading through the posts. I had no idea that there was this much discussion. These US Highways are important connections for Eastern North Carolina and and the port at Morehead City. I admire the determination of local representatives to attempt to bring more economic development to the area. However, I don't think that bypassing every town along the way is the right idea. Many of the towns along the US 70 Corridor have already been bypassed at least one time. Development was allowed to be built along the new route, while the areas along the old route declined. What happens to Goldsboro and Kinston (not to mention Havelock) when a new highway undermines existing development in downtown and along the existing highways? Development should have been been restricted from accessing the through routes while the cities expanded arterials and other local streets that completed the network. The vision for each city should be reinforced with building and maintaining local character and identity, protecting current investments as well as increased funding to rail, recreation, and education.
I wouldn't normally condone building a highway through an existing town or city, but with a little creativity the old bypasses could have been made the new bypasses, especially in Goldsboro. I'm also not sure that continuing to focus so heavily on the GTP is a smart investment. The execution was flawed, and there are other investments in ENC and the rest of the state that would be better.
All that being said, a I-795 extension to I-40 makes a lot of sense (at least for Goldsboro). Upgrading US-17 between the borders also seems worthwhile over the long run. Should I-20 be extended to Wilmigton (or Myrtle Beach), the coast will be open in a new way. And if adequate connections are made to Morehead City and Greenville which do not fall on the route, this might be a better contender for an Interstate designation.
I stumbled across this thread yesterday and have been reading through the posts. I had no idea that there was this much discussion. These US Highways are important connections for Eastern North Carolina and and the port at Morehead City. I admire the determination of local representatives to attempt to bring more economic development to the area. However, I don't think that bypassing every town along the way is the right idea. Many of the towns along the US 70 Corridor have already been bypassed at least one time. Development was allowed to be built along the new route, while the areas along the old route declined. What happens to Goldsboro and Kinston (not to mention Havelock) when a new highway undermines existing development in downtown and along the existing highways? Development should have been been restricted from accessing the through routes while the cities expanded arterials and other local streets that completed the network. The vision for each city should be reinforced with building and maintaining local character and identity, protecting current investments as well as increased funding to rail, recreation, and education.
I wouldn't normally condone building a highway through an existing town or city, but with a little creativity the old bypasses could have been made the new bypasses, especially in Goldsboro. I'm also not sure that continuing to focus so heavily on the GTP is a smart investment. The execution was flawed, and there are other investments in ENC and the rest of the state that would be better.
All that being said, a I-795 extension to I-40 makes a lot of sense (at least for Goldsboro). Upgrading US-17 between the borders also seems worthwhile over the long run. Should I-20 be extended to Wilmigton (or Myrtle Beach), the coast will be open in a new way. And if adequate connections are made to Morehead City and Greenville which do not fall on the route, this might be a better contender for an Interstate designation.
Certainly bypasses can hurt the local economy, but they also can provide new opportunities. In Robersonville for example the new Highway 64 has an interchange that has numerous businesses at it that did not exist in Robersonville before the bypass. Same thing exists in Warsaw on I-40. The road improvements are there to not only increase speed but also increase capacity, therefore, opening up those areas for development. Better roads are necessary for businesses to locate, remain or expand and we know that Interstate's are particularly important in site selection (the big pronblem with the GTP). You need better roads in order to have jobs.
Yes it may affect the mom and pop restaurant, but let's be honest moving through traffic away shouldn't be the end all be all of your LOCAL business. Businesses shut down every day in ENC where there are not bypasses...in places like Kinston, Plymouth, etc... That being said the State should provide strategic exits to help the existing infrastructure of the town being bypassed. Bethel is a good example of the roads not helping the local economy. A different alignment may have been utilized in that instance.
Good points HP91. I've been in Robersonville and have driven through Bethel and they're both really small towns. Goldsboro and Kinston, being biggers cities, are diffferent situations and already have bypasses (although not with limited access). DOT should give each town contexual consideration when building new bypasses. Good roads definitely benefit commerce, and I think that through-routes that can be integrated into the existing city fabric have more benefits. I don't want to see more sprawl in these places if there are other options.
Helping with economic development is one of the big reasons for these bypasses. Large industrial companies don't want to locate in places like Kinston where their trucks have to travel through stop and go traffic lights as it exists right now. Poor infrastructure is one of the reasons the Global Transpark still hasn't really taken off. Kinston has no freeway access to the interstates. This is why towns are normally in favor of interstates and freeways coming to their towns. They spur economic growth for the town as a whole, they do sometimes hurt local small business though. Notice the growth of Wilmington since I-40 was completed to the area. Completing US 70 as a interstate quality freeway between I-95 and Morehead City could be an economic boon for Eastern NC.
Status:
"48 years in MD, 18 in NC"
(set 9 days ago)
Location: Greenville, NC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeusAV
Large industrial companies don't want to locate in places like Kinston where their trucks have to travel through stop and go traffic lights as it exists right now. Poor infrastructure is one of the reasons the Global Transpark still hasn't really taken off. Kinston has no freeway access to the interstates.
This would be true if the state had used a different development model. Truck transportation is not in the model. Train and air are the 2 modes that they were planning for. What Spirit is doing there is exactly what the state was looking for. I also understand that the rail spur is either finished or almost finished.
This would be true if the state had used a different development model. Truck transportation is not in the model. Train and air are the 2 modes that they were planning for. What Spirit is doing there is exactly what the state was looking for. I also understand that the rail spur is either finished or almost finished.
You can look at Google Maps and see that the spur is complete. Now it should've been there since the beginning. They should/need to extend the spur north and connect it to the southern end of the North/South rail that goes through Greenville. As the crow flies, it would be a little more than an extra 4 miles.
That would give GTP some rail competition, and Greenville/Pitt a direct rail route to the port.
QUAD-EAST Press Conference joined by Commissioner Mac Daughety of Lenoir County and Mayor Steve Tripp of Ayden-- announcing the unanimous support voted by the counties and cities Greenville, Pitt, Kinston, Lenoir, Goldsboro, Wayne, Wilson and Greene. The goal of QuadEast is to work together in a model similar to the Triangle, Triad and Charlotte metro to leverage regional strengths, shared transportation priorities to maximize our competitiveness in the global marketplace as we plan for 2020 and beyond. It starts with the first big step, engagement, laying the foundation.
QUAD-EAST Press Conference joined by Commissioner Mac Daughety of Lenoir County and Mayor Steve Tripp of Ayden-- announcing the unanimous support voted by the counties and cities Greenville, Pitt, Kinston, Lenoir, Goldsboro, Wayne, Wilson and Greene. The goal of QuadEast is to work together in a model similar to the Triangle, Triad and Charlotte metro to leverage regional strengths, shared transportation priorities to maximize our competitiveness in the global marketplace as we plan for 2020 and beyond. It starts with the first big step, engagement, laying the foundation.
Status:
"48 years in MD, 18 in NC"
(set 9 days ago)
Location: Greenville, NC
2,309 posts, read 6,101,128 times
Reputation: 1430
You need to make sure Allen is reelected. I saw the Allen-West "debate" and I'm sure Mr. West is a nice guy and all of that, but Allen is leagues ahead of him in city matters. The question was asked of both candidates that went something like "How many people do you know at the state and federal level that could assist Greenville in city matters?" Allen reeled off a whole list of people that he knew. Mr. Best had nothing and gave a standard answer that he would rely on city staff. Mr. Best coming coming back to the "I know what businesses need" answer without actually saying what he knows.
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