Jackson County Board of Commissioners to meet Monday, April 18 at 3:30pm work session to rank NCDOT road-building priorities
From the Tuckasegee Reader:
Jackson County Board 4-4: meeting story
by Giles Morris on April 5, 2011
[...]
Meeting Business:
Jackson County Chairman Jack Debnam announced that the board of commissioners would hold two important work sessions at the Jackson County Justice and Administration Building prior to its meeting on April 18.
The board will meet to discuss and rank its road-building priorities to be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation as part of its 10-year Transportation Improvement Plan at 3:30 p.m.
[...]
Ryan Sherby of the Southwestern Regional Planning Commission offered commissioners a recap of the NCDOT transportation prioritization process, touching on the difference between the department’s five-year work program, the seven-year project queue, and the ten-year project priority rankings.
Sherby said the NC 107 Connector project was scheduled for right of way purchase funding but not for construction funding. He said for the project to move forward it would have to be placed on the county’s latest priority list, which commissioners will address during their April 18 work session.
After the meeting, Sylva Herald reporter Nick Breedlove asked each commissioner whether they supported the idea of the NC 107 Connector project.
Commissioner Cowan said he did. Commissioner Mark Jones said he intended to keep it on his priority list but he was not sure how high he would rank it. Chairman Jack Debnam said he wasn’t yet sure where he stood on the project. Commissioners Elders and Cody also said they were not sure where they stood on the project, though Cody suggested he believed the road should not be built in its proposed location."
[...]
View the entire article here:
http://www.tuckreader.com/jackson-county-board-april/
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Smart Roads Alliance
The Jackson County Smart Roads Alliance was formed in 2002 in response to a proposal by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to build a new $132 million* highway through the middle of our most precious and beautiful rural county. Our goal since 2002 has been to work together as a community and create smart solutions to our traffic and transportation issues. (* $132 million construction cost source: NCDOT 2008)
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North Carolina Department of Transportation
NCDOT is planning to build the $132 million Southern Loop Bypass (NC 107 Connector) from US 23-74 in Balsam to NC 107 between Sylva and Cullowhee - NCDOT project STIP R-4745 is funded and construction will begin in 2016 unless the public demands other solutions.
The Resolutions
The Resolutions, unanimously signed in 2003 by the representative leaders from all four of Jackson County's incorporated towns (Sylva, Dillsboro, Webster, Forest Hills) requested that NCDOT "remove the Southern Loop Bypass from its long-range plan" and instead develop strategies for "improving existing roads as alternatives to the Bypass". A copy of the resolution and a petitions with thousands of Jackson County citizen's signatures were turned in to NCDOT at their annual State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) meetings to stop this proposed new highway. Despite public opposition, NCDOT is moving forward with this massive new highway project.
Other important articles with background information:
2009 - Smart Roads Alliance Position: Jackson County Comprehensive Transportation Plan
2008 - Construction on 23-74/107 connector could begin in 2015
2008 - Smart Roads Files Compaint Over Southern Loop
2008 - Smart Roads Event Discusses Alternatives to Southern Loop
2007 - Leaders, citizens demand input as road plan progresses
2007 - Southern Loop Opposition Mounts
2007 - Burrell, Setzer Plug Plan for Southern Loop (ignoring public outcry and towns' wishes)
2007 - Southern Loop On Priority List, Transportation Advisory Committee Disagrees
2007 - STIP Includes Funding For Portion of Southern Loop
2003 - "Who will decide the future growth of Jackson County?"
2003 - Sylva, Dillsboro Join Official Opposition to Southern Loop (The Resolutions)
2002 - Smart Roads Alliance Formed
2001 - NCDOT Division 14 Engineer Ron Watson updates EDC on 'southern loop' status
2001 - Southern Loop Feasibility Study Approved
The original proposed new highway project would have cost over $230* million to construct ($26 million per mile) and continued to US 23-441 through Webster. The Jackson County Smart Roads Alliance was instrumental in getting the Webster portion of the bypass removed from the R-4745 plan. (* NCDOT 2001 estimate)
Other important articles with background information:
2009 - Smart Roads Alliance Position: Jackson County Comprehensive Transportation Plan
2008 - Construction on 23-74/107 connector could begin in 2015
2008 - Smart Roads Files Compaint Over Southern Loop
2008 - Smart Roads Event Discusses Alternatives to Southern Loop
2007 - Leaders, citizens demand input as road plan progresses
2007 - Southern Loop Opposition Mounts
2007 - Burrell, Setzer Plug Plan for Southern Loop (ignoring public outcry and towns' wishes)
2007 - Southern Loop On Priority List, Transportation Advisory Committee Disagrees
2007 - STIP Includes Funding For Portion of Southern Loop
2003 - "Who will decide the future growth of Jackson County?"
2003 - Sylva, Dillsboro Join Official Opposition to Southern Loop (The Resolutions)
2002 - Smart Roads Alliance Formed
2001 - NCDOT Division 14 Engineer Ron Watson updates EDC on 'southern loop' status
2001 - Southern Loop Feasibility Study Approved
The original proposed new highway project would have cost over $230* million to construct ($26 million per mile) and continued to US 23-441 through Webster. The Jackson County Smart Roads Alliance was instrumental in getting the Webster portion of the bypass removed from the R-4745 plan. (* NCDOT 2001 estimate)
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