Traffic simulations for 2035 takes leap of faith

Traffic simulations for 2035 takes leap of faith
Smoky Mountain News
December 10, 2008
By Becky Johnson • Staff Writer

As the debate over the Southern Loop rages on, a faceless cadre of number crunchers have been assigned a seemingly impossible task: predict who will be driving on N.C. 107 and why 25 years from now.

The answer could ultimately propel or table the Southern Loop, a proposed bypass around Sylva meant to alleviate congestion on N.C. 107. While 107 serves a dual purpose — both a commercial strip and commuter corridor — the question for planners is whether a new road would divert enough traffic from N.C. 107 to do any good.

"Does a new road in that vicinity offer relief to 107 or does it not?" said Pam Cook, a transportation engineer working with the Jackson County Transportation Task Force. "Does it offer enough help to be worth continuing to look at in more detail?"

For now, DOT's number crunchers are deploying a complex formula to figure out how many cars will be on the road in the year 2035. The magic number will be unveiled in January.

The numbers being plugged into the formula are coming from the Jackson County Transportation Task Force. The task force met last week to finalize their input.

"What is Jackson County going to look like in 2035? Where is the employment, where is the population going to grow, where will schools grow, how will the college grow?" Cook asked. "That's what we've been looking at for the past couple months."

The numbers being plugged into the simulations assume the same rate of growth over the next 25 years as the past 25 years, from homes to jobs to population.

County Commissioner William Shelton, who sits on the task force, questioned whether this was an accurate assumption. Shelton said at some point the holding capacity of the land couldn't keep up with infinite growth at today's levels. Shelton said there could be a paradigm shift in the county's future.

"At some point that same template is not going to work, so at what point do you make that determination?" Shelton asked.

DOT planners told the task force not to get too caught up in the details.

"Don't get too concerned about these growth tables beyond five years," said Ryan Sherby, community transportation planner for DOT and the Southwestern Commission.

Cook said the projections could be revisited in five to 10 years.

"We plan the worst-case scenario," Cook said. "If we can back off some, great."

Considering DOT plans to buy up right-of-way for the Southern Loop in 2015, revisiting the projections in 10 years could be too late to change course.

Shelton again expressed concern that the numbers being plugged into the model are flawed.

"I think it is a fairly safe assumption that the growth pattern we have experienced over the last 30 years isn't going to continue indefinitely," Shelton said. "In that case, how are we going to get data? How do we create a model based on what we don't know?"

Cook said the DOT doesn't have a magic globe, but can make a fairly safe bet.

"You make your best effort. It's more than a guess," Cook said.

All in the formula

Short of standing in the middle of the road with a clipboard to ask drivers where they're headed, the task force will rely on the DOT's formula to accurately predict who will on the road and where they're going to be headed.

While the DOT knows how many people drive on N.C. 107, it doesn't know whether a student commuting to Western Carolina University stops off for a sausage biscuit at McDonald's every morning, or whether a professor picks up their kid from band practice on the way home every day.

While straight-up commuters might be candidates for a bypass, the commercial pull of Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Ingles, gas stations and fast-food joints could have drivers seeking out N.C. 107 anyway.

"I think we need to look at what is on 107. If all the commerce and services are on 107, then this connector is not going to take 50 percent of the traffic off or even 25 percent off," said Susan Leveille, a member of the task force representing the Smart Roads Alliance. "We need to figure that out somehow."

DOT claims it has a formula that will answer that question.

"We don't do a survey of every single person and map out every person's movement, but we know our model does a pretty good job," Cook said. "It takes into account someone who goes to work, leaves for lunch and comes back. The equations have taken years and years of research to come up with."

Cook said the DOT's formulas have proved accurate in Jackson County when used for present-day traffic counts. Applying the formula to today's demographics — population density, employment, schools, stores and the like — the number crunchers estimated how much traffic should be on which roads. When compared to actual traffic counts — captured by counters across the road — the predictions were accurate within plus or minus 10 percent, Cook said. Cook said that was exceptionally accurate.

But whether the formula will still hold true when projecting traffic for 2035 is another story. There could be entirely new variables, and current ones could be obsolete.

One likelihood is public transportation to and from WCU by then. Allen Grant, a task force member representing Jackson County Greenways, said future public transports up and down N.C. 107 should be factored in to the equation.

"I think we need to put these things into it," said Grant.

Pat Brown, dean of education and outreach at WCU, agreed.

"I think public transport would relieve some pressure," said Brown.

But Cook said public transportation wouldn't put a dent in N.C. 107 traffic and won't be factored into the 2035 traffic simulations.

"I don't know that it would be enough to help," Cook said.

Western's giant role

A giant wildcard in predicting traffic 25 years from now is Western Carolina University. If the school grows, so grows the county. And growth is most certainly in Western's plans.

"It seems the elephant in the room is Western's growth projections," said Dr. Cecil Groves, the president of Southwestern Community College and member of the task force.

Western plans to more than double the number students taking courses on campus from 7,000 to 15,000 by the year 2035, according to figures shared by Brown.

A lot of that growth could be self contained, however. WCU has aggressive plans for building on-campus housing, coupled with a commercial district to serve students. Known as the Millennial Campus, plans call for a new town center with restaurants, coffee shops, even a grocery store.

"The intent is to support that population," Brown said. "The students would live there, eat there, have their services there and spend time studying there."

If so, traffic on N.C. 107 may not be as elevated as it would under the current model that assumes students buzz into Sylva for most of their needs.

Of the 8,000 additional students WCU foresees, 3,000 would live on campus and 5,000 off-campus.

Jay Spiro, a member of the task force representing the Jackson County Smart Growth Alliance, asked how certain WCU is that the growth will come to fruition.

"When you start talking about 2035, it is definitely guess land —fantasy world is more like it," Brown replied.

Groves said that regardless of the exact numbers, WCU would certainly grow and the role of N.C. 107 as a gateway would only become more important over the years.

What's next?

After the traffic projections for 2035 are unveiled to the task force next month, the real work begins. The task force will start to develop ideas for solving transportation issues, namely congestion.

"They'll brainstorm alternatives to help relieve any problem areas," Cook said.

The result will be a "comprehensive transportation plan," but the problem areas getting the most attention will be the main drag of N.C. 107 and U.S. Business 23.

The goal of the task force's transportation plan will be reducing congestion during rush hour periods, regardless if it occurs any other time of day, Cook said.

Leveille questioned whether such an approach is realistic. Rush hour congestion is part of life, she said.

"The goal to have no traffic congestion is lala land. It is just not achievable ever," Leveille said.

Cook said she hopes the duration of rush hour congestion would be taken into consideration. If it's just a short window, building the Southern Loop might be overkill versus other solutions.

"I would certainly say if it is only 30 minutes I would hope they look at congestion management," Cook said.

Congestion management experts within DOT have already taken a gander at N.C. 107. With so much publicity brewing over the road, the experts made a trip here from Raleigh to see if any quick fixes jumped out at them.

"That's a practice I would like to see in DOT, for congestion management to come in and offer simple suggestion if there are any," Cook said.

The idea of fixing N.C. 107 congestion without building a new road will be explored more fully as part of yet another more formal study currently under way.

DOT gets earful from public on Southern Loop

DOT gets earful from public on Southern Loop
Smoky Mountain News
December 10, 2008
By Josh Mitchell • Staff Writer

Jackson County resident Susan Leveille opposes the construction of a N.C. 107 bypass.

"I am very hopeful DOT and all other powers who make decisions will take a look at the alternatives to a bypass for alleviating traffic concerns," Leveille said.

Leveille told The Smoky Mountain News her concerns about the project last Thursday (Dec. 4) during a public information meeting put on by the North Carolina Department of Transportation at Western Carolina University.

Constructing a bypass would destroy mountain scenery and communities that have been a part of Leveille's family for five to six generations, she said.

"It would destroy why we like living here and why people like visiting here," she said.

A bypass connecting N.C. 107 with U.S. Highway 23/74 would also create noise, runoff and pollution problems, she added..

About 150 residents attended the meeting, which featured large maps stationed around the room with DOT officials on hand to answer questions . DOT Project Planning Engineer Ryan White said the purpose of the meeting was to gather input from the public on the project.

DOT is currently evaluating the traffic problems on N.C. 107 and determining possible solutions. DOT plans to have list of solutions in late 2009 and choose one in 2012.

DOT's timeline also calls for buying right of way in 2015 and construction beginning after 2015.

Building the bypass is not a sure thing, as DOT is just in the beginning phases of the project, according to Joel Setzer, head of the DOT for the 10 western counties.

Setzer said the community must come together to determine if a connector is the best solution to ease congestion. Many would say simply redesigning N.C. 107 is all that is needed, Setzer said, adding that all alternatives need to be explored.

Setzer sees advantages to a new road, however.

"I think a connector would provide an alternative for people," he said.

N.C. 107 gets congested during the morning and afternoon from traffic going to Western Carolina University, Southwestern Community College, Smoky Mountain High School and Fairview Elementary School. Traffic from Lowe's, Wal-Mart, Ingles and other businesses contributes to the congestion.

"There's definitely a need to improve traffic flow on N.C. 107," said White.

With so much traffic on N.C. 107 the likelihood of accidents increases, White added.

Rather than building a bypass, other alternatives such as redesigning N.C. 107 could possibly alleviate congestion. The situation could also be improved if more people used public transportation, such as students riding school buses.

DOT is currently conducting a feasibility study to determine if N.C. 107 should be redesigned.

Norma Medford of Blanton Branch, which is near where the proposed connector would be located, said she opposes the project because it would destroy forests.

White said environmental concerns are taken into consideration by DOT. He said DOT cannot do anything without approval from several environmental agencies.

Medford doesn't think the traffic on N.C. 107 is bad enough to warrant a new road.

"I don't know why there has to be a new road," she said. "I'm extremely opposed to it."

Throughout the process DOT is scheduled to have several public information workshops. The project is estimated to cost $132 million.

Officials stay away from private DOT meeting, stay within bounds of law

Officials stay away from private DOT meeting, stay within bounds of law
Smoky Mountain News
December 10, 2008
By Josh Mitchell

It appears local government officials obeyed the Open Meetings Law when they attended a private N.C.. Department of Transportation meeting about the controversial N.C. 107 connector last week.

The Smoky Mountain News reported in the Nov. 26 edition that the government officials were poised to violate the Open Meetings Law because the meeting had not been advertised to the public.

The towns of Webster, Forest Hills, Sylva and Jackson County all had representation at the meeting, but stayed within the bounds of the law by not having a majority of their respective boards present.

According to the N.C. Open Meetings Law, an official meeting occurs when a majority of a public board is present at a meeting pertaining to public business. Such a meeting requires that the public be given notice of the meeting, which it was not in this case.

A meeting open to the public followed the private meeting between DOT and the government officials.

DOT said that it wanted to have a meeting with the public officials first to inform them about the project so they would be prepped to answer constituents' questions. At the meeting, elected leaders were called on to talk about concerns and questions they may have involving the road project.

Franklin Alderman Bob Scott tipped The Smoky Mountain News off about the meeting, saying he thought it was a violation of the Open Meetings Law. By not informing the public about the meeting, it seemed as if DOT wanted to tell the local officials something it didn't want to tell the citizens, Scott said.

The Smoky Mountain News attended the meeting. (see related article.)

ROAD MEETING SET FOR TODAY, DEC. 4, 2008

The N.C. Department of Transportation is planning a citizens' information workshop today (Thursday) on the proposed N.C. 107 Connector (formerly called the Southern Loop) project. DOT officials are beginning environmental and design studies to determine how best to address congestion issues along the U.S. 23 Business/N.C. 107 corridor from east of Sylva to just south of the Western Carolina University campus. The informal meeting will be from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Hospitality Room of Western Carolina University's Ramsey Center. No formal program is planned, but citizens are invited to drop in and speak individually with NCDOT officials about project plans. Prior to that session, at 2 p.m., DOT officials will brief local elected officials on the project. The above map shows the project boundaries; according to DOT officials a route for the new road, which would connect U.S. 23/74 with N.C. 107, is not yet determined but will be within the area indicated above. Interested parties may also write, referencing Transportation Improvement Program project number R-4745, to Ryan White, NCDOT Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch, 1548 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1548.

Politicians poised for Open Meetings violation in Southern Loop talks

Politicians poised for Open Meetings violation in Southern Loop talks
The Smoky Mountain News
November 26, 2008
By Josh Mitchell

A private meeting has been scheduled between the N.C. Department of Transportation and elected leaders to discuss the controversial Southern Loop — a move that seems headed toward a violation of the N.C. Open Meetings Law.

County commissioners and town board members were invited to the private meeting by the DOT, which is in the planning stages of a hotly debated highway that would slice through Jackson County northeast of Sylva.

The public has not been notified of the meeting, which is required under the N.C. Open Meetings Law, according to an attorney from the North Carolina Press Association.

The meeting will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, in the Ramsey Center Hospitality Room at Western Carolina University. The private meeting will be followed by one for the public from 4 to 7 p.m. at the same place.

DOT Senior Public Information Officer Jamille A. Robbins said that the DOT does not want the public to attend the meeting intended for local officials. Robbins said the meeting is an opportunity for the elected leaders to become informed about the road project so they will be prepared to answer constituents' questions.

"We want to let the local officials to know first," Robbins said. "We're not hiding anything. You're trying to make it sound like we're having a clandestine meeting."

However, Robbins said if members of the public showed up, they wouldn't be "turned around." Robbins said DOT is not trying to do anything "underhanded" with the local officials' meeting or it wouldn't be having the public workshop afterwards.

Robbins said he does not think the DOT is violating the Open Meetings Law.

North Carolina Press Association Attorney Mike Tadych agreed the DOT is not violating the Open Meetings Law — but local officials will be if they don't give public notice of the meeting. Tadych said an official meeting occurs when there is a simultaneous gathering of a majority of a public board, other than a social setting.

"I think they would have to give notice," Tadych said.

The majority of Jackson County commissioners say they plan on attending the meeting, according to a poll by The Smoky Mountain News.

Jackson County Commissioner Chairman Brian McMahan said he does not believe the commissioners will violate the Open Meetings Law if they attend the meeting without announcing it.

"We didn't call the meeting," McMahan said. "It's strictly a DOT meeting."

McMahan said the commissioners will simply attend the meeting to get information, similar to when they attend Economic Development Commission meetings. However, EDC meetings are already announced to the public since it is a public entity in its own right, regardless if commissioners attend.

Even if the commissioners are attending the DOT meeting to merely listen, it should still be noticed to the public, Tadych said.

State law defines an "official meeting" as anytime the majority of a board gathers for a meeting pertaining to public business.

County Manager Ken Westmoreland said he doesn't think the county commissioners need to advertise that they will be attending the meeting.

"It's not an official meeting from our standpoint," Westmoreland said. "We're not going to conduct business or take official action."

But Westmoreland said to avoid the appearance of violating the Open Meetings Law there will not be a majority of the county commissioners in the room at one time. That is standard practice for Jackson County commissioners in a meeting such as this, Westmoreland said.

But Tadych said even if there are two county commissioners in the meeting — although it technically isn't a majority of the five person board — it is still subject to public notice. The two commissioners in the room would constitute a committee serving as an extension public body, Tadych said.

Westmoreland said he disagrees with that.

"This is not a committee meeting of any formal nature," Westmoreland said.

County Commissioner William Shelton said the county is not going to violate the Open Meetings Law. He agreed with Westmoreland that there will not be more than two commissioners in the meeting room at a time. Shelton said two commissioners could go into the meeting and listen a while and then two others could go in.

Westmoreland said he agrees that the DOT meeting "probably wasn't arranged the best."

"I admit DOT has not been very prudent," Westmoreland said.

Other local officials were also invited to the meeting, according to Robbins, including the town boards of Sylva, Dillsboro, Webster and Forest Hills.

The private meeting raised the ire of Franklin Town Alderman Bob Scott, who received an invitation to the meeting and tipped off The Smoky Mountain News that it is taking place.

"My feeling is that it's in violation of the Open Meetings Law," Scott said. "I think it's a little strange to have a meeting for elected officials that the public is not invited to."

The private meeting gives the appearance that DOT wants to tell the local officials something it doesn't want to tell the public, he said.

What the law says

The argument over whether elected boards can attend a private meeting with the DOT to talk about the Southern Loop comes down to whether the meeting qualifies as an "official meeting." Here's how it's defined in state statute:

"'Official meeting' means a meeting, assembly, or gathering together at any time or place ... of a majority of the members of a public body for the purpose of conducting hearings, participating in deliberations, or voting upon or otherwise transacting the public business within the jurisdiction, real or apparent, of the public body. However, a social meeting or other informal assembly or gathering together of the members of a public body does not constitute an official meeting unless called or held to evade the spirit and purposes of this Article."

— N.C. 143-318.10-d.

Transportation seminar termed success

Transportation seminar termed success Oct. 2, 2008 The Sylva Herald   To the Editor: By all accounts the Sept. 25 Jackson County Transportation Seminar was a success. Thanks to the support of the Southwestern Rural Planning Organization and the Jackson County commissioners, the Jackson County Transportation Task Force was encouraged by professional traffic planners to include quality of life issues into the comprehensive transportation plan. The professional recommendations were, "Build towns, not sprawl; Fit, don't flatten the mountains; Smarter roads, not wider ..." Some of these modern design models are currently being utilized by the town of Waynesville in its effort to redesign and improve Russ Avenue. Waynesville went through a series of community meetings before a long-term plan was created. Thursday's speakers stressed the importance of public involvement in the creation of a long-term plan, stressing the importance that the final design reflects the values of the surrounding community. The Smart Roads Alliance advocates for similar opportunities for public involvement in the planning of Jackson County's transportation future. Much of the ground work for this was done during the Smart Growth meetings in 2003. The overlaying result of these meetings was the desire that our county maintain its rural character and scenic beauty. Further opportunities for public involvement will ensure that these values will be represented in the final transportation design. Jeannette Evans Cullowhee (Evans is chairman of the Smart Roads Alliance.)

Traffic experts discuss ideas for reducing 107 congestion

Traffic experts discuss ideas for reducing 107 congestion By Justin Goble A group of "transportation professionals" spoke with members of the community at length last Thursday (Sept. 25) about ways to plan for traffic improvements in the county. Speakers Leigh Lane, Walter Kulash and Drew Joyner spoke to a crowd of about 50 people for four hours about what might be done to deal with traffic along N.C. 107 as well as how the county can plan for future traffic needs. Lane, a manager of transportation policy for the Louis Berger Group Inc., who has more than 21 years in transportation planning and project development – including 15 years with the N.C. Department of Transportation as head of its public involvement and community studies unit – spoke to the crowd about "context-sensitive solutions" to traffic woes. She said when planning for future traffic needs, people need to consider the context in which they are working. "What is context?" she asked. "It's a set of interrelated conditions. You have to start with the quality of life. That includes things like cultural resources, housing, health, safety and other things. But people's values may differ a bit. The priority that a community places on these things is very important. The quality of life results from the interconnection of those needs." However, when thinking about these issues, Lane said transportation is something that is never discussed. She said it should be, because traffic affects communities in many ways. Members of the community have to be active in transportation planning because it affects their daily lives, she said. "If you ask people to define quality of life, they don't bring up transportation," she said. "People don't see transportation as an end unto itself. They see it as a means to an end. But transportation affects everything. So if you can organize the components of the context you're working in, you get a "basework" for information gathering. That allows you to see what the community wants for an area and how transportation needs fit into that." Planners have to also consider aesthetic, economic, social and environmental issues while doing traffic plans for a community, she said. As an example of what communities can do to affect traffic, Lane showed the group a thoroughfare in Washington state. She said the area had been having a problem with accidents and speeding, with people being afraid to turn left. There was little to no walkability, she said. The community came up with a vision for that area, which was to create a "Main Street atmosphere" and town center for visitors and residents. "They redrew the lane widths of the road to 10 feet, put in a median and installed a 6 foot sidewalk. They also installed decorative lighting and put in crosswalks. Did it work? It sure did. Because of these changes, there was a 58-percent reduction in crashes. The average operational speed went from 35 miles per hour to 33. Someone told me a recent study showed that it was down to 31. They've also done counts and found there are nearly 2,000 pedestrians every month. One of the most fascinating things was that, when this started, businesses in the area were upset over the median but decided to go along with it. Once the corridor opened up, the tax revenue increased by $3.5 million in one year. Businesses even relocated to be part of the corridor." In the end, Lane said the people in Jackson County could have a hand in shaping the future of transportation in the area. However, she said they need to get involved at the "ground level" to make sure any transportation projects fit in with what the community wants. "You have to come up with a vision, get educated about what needs to be done and do your homework," she said. Next up was Walter Kulash, an independent traffic engineer who has spoken in Jackson County twice before. Kulash argued that the previous method of dealing with increasing traffic – widening roads – is fundamentally flawed. If the Department of Transportation were to widen a road like N.C. 107, he said that would only increase the amount of traffic on it. "If you widen a road, you get a new traffic number," he said. "Usually, more people start to use that road than you projected. The fact that the wider road is in place changes driver behavior and creates more traffic. This is the only public institution that sees this happen – the increase in capacity met with such an increase in usage. If the elementary schools said they could keep kids until they were 16, you wouldn't see such a sharp increase in the number of kids in elementary schools. But in the case of traffic, this pattern goes on and on and on." Instead, Kulash said the more effective solution to congestion is to create an interconnected series of side roads that keep people off of the main thoroughfare. Because congestion is getting worse on the main roads in many cities, he said it forces people to change their driving habits in an effort to avoid it. Planners can take advantage of that fact by connecting the roads already in place, he said. "If we accept that congestion on the main roads is a problem we can't entirely overcome, the initial costs do look bad," he said. "People are waiting longer in traffic and things like that. But if you look at the secondary costs and the tertiary costs, it starts to look better. People don't want to move farther away, so they make improvements to their homes. Local businesses look more attractive since people are less willing to drive farther away for goods and services. So instead of trying to fight congestion by widening roads, we need to squeeze more out of the roads we already have in place." As to how that could be accomplished in Jackson County, Kulash presented a map based on one Sylva Planning Director Jim Aust first drew four years ago and which has since been expanded. That plan includes a 1-mile connector to join the relocated Hospital Road with Cope Creek Road, which would allow travelers from the Moody Bottom area to avoid the Business 23/107 intersection. Another connector could give Dillardtown residents access to the same new road. Constructing another mile or so of new road from Cope Creek to Haskett Road could provide travelers with an alternate route to Fairview Elementary and Smoky Mountain High schools. Also included is a connector from Claude Cook Road, off of East Cope Creek, to Songbird Lane in the area of Fairview Road. Among other features of the plan are a new road to connect Griffin Road to Buchanan Loop – to provide a back entrance to Wal-Mart – and a connection from Cherry Street to Walter Ashe Road to allow Rhodes Cove travelers to enter the highway at a controlled intersection. Another road shown as a connector runs from Blanton Branch Road, one terminus for the proposed Southern Loop, to Cane Creek Road. That route already exists, though a portion of it is unpaved and difficult for many vehicles to travel. The map also shows numerous other proposed connectors. Included are projected roads from Locust Creek to East Cope Creek, Claude Cook Road to the new Blanton Branch-Cane Creek connector, Cope Creek to Lovesfield near Wal-Mart, and North River Road to the back of Wal-Mart. Though this would put a lot of cars on secondary roads, Kulash said it would be safe because many of the roads would be two-lane. Also, with a series of connector roads, the number of intersections is increased, which would force cars to travel at slower speeds. While diverting traffic from N.C. 107, this plan increases the street frontage for buildings and businesses. Planners can use that fact to create multiple entrances and exits for businesses, and ordinances can be used to create a more "neighborhood friendly" atmosphere. "If you encourage businesses not to make the parking lot the focal point, you can create some really nice, walkable areas," he said. "Making the business itself a focal point, with sidewalks allowing people to walk to it, is a much more attractive option. Most businesses only want to be on the main road for visibility purposes. They want you to see them. However, they don't care if you get to them through back roads." The biggest problem with this idea is that the state Department of Transportation does not own rights of way to many of those roads. That means state funding could not be used to create connectors, leaving it to local agencies to come up with the money. However, he said communities that had initiated similar plans had been able to raise the funds to complete such projects. Speaking last was Drew Joyner, head of the NCDOT's human environment unit. That unit is responsible for groups that perform public involvement, community impact, archaeological, historic architecture, noise and air quality studies for state transportation officials. Joyner laid out the DOT's process for construction projects, saying the department comes up with a long-range plan to meet an area's traffic needs. That process includes developing a comprehensive transportation plan. From there, the department goes into the "programming" stage, where officials see what the most important projects are and see how much money can be allocated to them. After that, the DOT does project design and development, where officials look at a project's feasibility, consider its alternatives and start drawing up plans. Joyner said those two phases continue right up to right of way acquisition and construction. "A lot goes on simultaneously," he said. "Things can change from day to day." As for N.C. 107, Joyner said DOT is looking at the various options available to alleviate traffic on that road. "We're looking at a variety of options and 'what-ifs,' " he said. "We're not just doing that to figure out costs. We're seeing if there are some viable alternatives and we'll be using that information to make decisions." The current plan to alleviate traffic, known as the Southern Loop (project R4745), is just one of many ideas being suggested, he said. Though that project is on the DOT's Transportation Improvement Plan for the area, he said that plan is only in its early stages and will more than likely be modified as time goes on. DOT planners on hand even commented that the project is not even a "line on the map" and that they have not even begun the initial planning phases. As first proposed, the Southern Loop would have run from U.S. 74 near Blanton Branch to U.S. 441 near Cagle Branch, crossing N.C. 107 near Locust Creek. However, the 107-441 segment has been dropped leaving a proposed connector road from 107 to 74. "The project development stage takes anywhere from five to seven years," he said. "Sometimes the CTP is updated once or twice before we even get to the project development stage." The Jackson County Transportation Task Force does not have a formal role in planning for the Southern Loop, he said, but the project does have several opportunities for public input. The DOT does want to hear the public's opinion on the issue, he said, though some people might not think they do. "If the DOT doesn't give you what you want, don't think that we're not listening," he said. "Sometimes we go into a community with 25 different people who have 25 different views on a project and most of them conflict. There's always a piece of the community that's not happy with our decisions. It's not that we didn't listen. We want to do what's right and make the community happy. The last thing we want to do is shove something down the community's throat. We have a lot of people to make happy, and we hope you challenge us with your ideas." After the three had finished their presentations, members of the Transportation Task Force were allowed to ask questions of the speakers. Member Don Selzer asked Kulash how communities with cul-de-sacs fit into his plan. "The reasons behind those are to limit access and traffic in neighborhoods," he said. Kulash said cul-de-sacs could fit in with a network of connected roads. It would just be a manner of planning better access to those neighborhoods. "We can have cul-de-sacs in communities," he said. "But let's not have just one entry and exit point. Let's let people have multiple ways in and out of a neighborhood." DOT Engineer Jamie Wilson questioned Kulash's plan, saying it wasn't feasible since state funds aren't available for such a project. Even if funding was an option, he said building a series of connectors would do a lot of harm to the community. "It's not realistic to impose upon people in those areas," Wilson said. "The state does not own those roads and DOT money cannot pay to build connectors. Even if it could move forward, that would have a huge impact on the community. People don't want to be told what to do, but that's what you'd be doing." Though admitting he'd never been in the communities where the planned connector roads would be built, Kulash said he thought the incentives to move forward with such a project would grow as traffic on N.C. 107 gets worse. "There's a lack of connectivity because people never thought about it," he said. "But I don't think people located on those streets with the thought that there would be nothing else. As traffic on N.C. 107 gets worse, people would be more inclined to travel connector roads. People understand that if there's no connectivity, we're stuck with widening N.C. 107 to seven lanes with restricted turning." Lane agreed, arguing that she thought state funding could be used for that project. Task force member Susan Leveille, who represents the Smart Roads Alliance, asked why their suggestions for alternatives had not been considered. She said Smart Roads had received a letter asking for their suggestions but those were not included in later documentation on the Southern Loop project. Smart Roads member Roger Turner agreed, saying public involvement with DOT seemed to be only reactive. Joyner said that with the Southern Loop, the DOT had solicited public input much earlier than with other projects. Though suggestions from Smart Roads have not been included in some of the documentation, he said that was mainly because DOT officials usually consider alternatives suggested by the public much later on in a project cycle. "There's a lot of things we have to work out, and one of those is the best way to get the community involved," he said. "We may not have responded to Smart Roads comments in our recent documents, but that's because we usually don't respond until the development document is complete. It doesn't indicate we aren't listening. We're just in the middle of a very long process."

TRANSPORTATION SEMINAR - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 25

TRANSPORTATION SEMINAR

Thursday September 25, 2008

Jackson County Justice Center

Room 220

12:30PM - 4:15PM

Presentations by:

Walter Kulash - independent traffic engineer
Drew Joyner - NCDOT Human environment department head
Leigh Lane - Transportation policy consultant

Reception to follow 4:30PM - 5:30PM

Sponsored by: Southwestern RPO, Jackson County & Smart Roads Alliance

www.smartroads.org

County officials OK DOT’s plans for secondary road improvements

County officials OK DOT's plans for secondary road improvements
By Justin Goble
The Sylva Herald
May 1, 2008

County leaders April 21 unanimously approved plans from the N.C.
Department of Transportation to improve area secondary roads.

DOT officials discussed their plans during a public hearing prior to
commissioners' regular meeting that night. During that hearing,
Division 14 Engineer Joel Setzer said the DOT is trying to create a
network of paved secondary roads for motorists to use. However, funding
for many of those improvements hasn't been available in the past, he
said.

"We've not been able to spend all of the money that we've been
allocated in the past due to some funding issues with the state," he
said. "But we've tightened our belts, and now we can spend most of the
allocations we get to improve the roads."

DOT engineer Jonathan Woodard agreed, adding that many projects have
already been started in the county. With funding now available, he said
those should be completed sometime in the near future.

Along with posting safety signs throughout the county, Woodard said the
majority of projects under way involve paving sections of unpaved
roads. Those roads include Lower North Fork, Bullpen, Jurn McCall,
Chastain Creek, Garland Ashe, Happy Valley and Finley Forest. Paved
road improvements are taking place along Shook Cove and Monteith Branch
roads. The total cost of these projects is expected to run $2.9
million, he said.

For fiscal year 2008, Woodard said DOT officials expect to spend
$823,285 on road improvements. Along with continuing to install safety
signs as needed throughout the county, officials will be doing surveys
and spot improvements. Those projects are expected to continue for the
next three years. DOT officials are also planning to begin acquiring
right of ways to make paved road improvements on Cope Creek Road. Such
improvements will be made to Old Mission Road this year at an expected
cost of $300,000.

"We chose these roads based on two factors," Woodard said. "The first
was safety. We're hoping that, if we can improve and widen some of
these roads, we'll be able to reduce the number of crashes. The other
factor is trying to reduce the number of bottlenecks. Hopefully we'll
be able to reduce the amount of traffic congestion in the county."

The Cope Creek project is expected to continue through 2010, Woodard
said, with $300,000 being spent on engineering and right of way
acquisition. Improvements are expected to cost around $820,000, he
said.

DOT officials are also expected to make paved road improvements to Old
Settlement Road starting in 2009. That project is estimated to run
around $826,000, Woodard said.

The only community member to speak during the hearing was Smart Roads
Alliance's Susan Levielle of Webster, who asked if the DOT had
considered creating a network of secondary roads in the county to
divert traffic off N.C. 107 and cut down on congestion.

According to Conrad Burrell of Sylva, DOT board member for Division 14,
that's exactly what officials are aiming to do with these improvements.

"That's basically what we're doing," he said. "We're looking at ways to
take traffic out of the intersection at Bogart's (where U.S. 23
Business and N.C. 107 intersect). We're looking at every available
route to improve traffic on N.C. 107."

Construction on 23-74/107 connector could begin in 2015

Construction on 23-74/107 connector could begin in 2015
By Stephanie Salmons
The Sylva Herald
May 1, 2008

Even if a road connecting N.C. 107 and U.S. 23/74 is built, it could be
at least six years before the N.C. Department of Transportation begins
right of way acquisition for the project.

That was the news from the April 23 meeting of the Jackson County
Transportation Task Force.

According to Project Manager Mark Reep, of Raleigh-based KO and
Associates, an environmental and feasibility study for the proposed
road, which has been known as the eastern portion of the Southern Loop,
is just beginning and should be completed by 2009.

In the interim, it's possible that some relief for the congested
highway could come as the result of another feasibility study,
according to Derrick Lewis of NCDOT's feasibility study unit. He said a
study is currently under way for N.C. 107 from its intersection with
U.S. 23 business near Bogart's through Cullowhee. That feasibility
study can be used to evaluate other traffic control options, Lewis
said.

"I think this is more in line to answer questions," Lewis said of the
study, which is slated for completion in late 2009. "We're trying to
find what it will take to meet traffic demands on N.C. 107."

Officials are also in the process of collecting data that could show
the importance of 107-23/74 connector project, Reep said, adding that
once the purpose and need of the project is established, a detailed
study of alternatives will commence.

Alternatives can include not taking any action, using existing
transportation systems, researching public transportation options
within the area to see if they could stand as an alternative, and
road-building alternatives.

If it is decided to build the road, selection of a preferred
alternative is scheduled to happen in the spring of 2013 following an
Environmental Impact Statement, a draft of which is scheduled to be
prepared for public review in 2012, and a public hearing, Reep said.

According to Reep, right of way acquisition, which can begin after the
final EIS is submitted and a preferred alternative is selected, is
slated to begin in 2014.

"During this process, there will be local government involvement," Reep
said, adding that the Rural Planning Organization, which serves smaller
areas as a voice to the DOT, will serve in an advisory capacity and
that DOT officials will seek community input throughout the process.

"NCDOT will seek input through the entire county and from
municipalities and the transportation task force throughout the study,"
Reep said.

Public-involvement opportunities may include briefings, meetings with
community groups, citizens' informational workshops, newsletters,
e-mail and public hearings, he said.

Although a new road to help alleviate the traffic situation on N.C. 107
is years off, Division 14 engineer Joel Setzer told the task force that
there are steps being taken that would affect traffic on the road.

These steps include taking a curve out of N.C. 116 making the road
easier to travel and a new road that would connect Southwestern
Community College with N.C. 107 south of its intersection with N.C.
116.

"That will take quite a bit of traffic congestion off of that
intersection," Setzer said, adding that improvements to Fairview Road
and Jones Street have also helped improve access to Smoky Mountain High
School and relieve traffic at the N.C. 107/N.C. 116 intersection.

Environmental assessment marks beginning of Hwy. 107 master plan

Environmental assessment marks beginning of Hwy. 107 master plan
By Jennifer Garlesky • Staff Writer
Smoky Mountain News
April 30, 2008

The N.C. Department of Transportation last week unveiled the process it
will use in developing a plan to relieve traffic congestion on N.C.
107.

DOT told Jackson County's Transportation Task Force on April 23 that an
environmental assessment of the roadway will help it determine if
alternatives—like a two-lane connector road — will relieve congestion.

"It's an evaluation of how the road project should be designed," said
Ko & Associates engineer Mark Reep. "The assessment will specifically
look at one centralized area, in this case it's N.C. 107."

DOT hired the Raleigh-based consulting firm to develop a master design
plan for N.C. 107. Included in that assessment is a determination of
the impact a two-lane road may have upon the environment. Roads in
Jackson are currently under review by DOT in the county's Comprehensive
Transportation Plan. DOT is gathering information about specific areas
in the county expected to grow in population and employment.

Information from both studies will help DOT develop a countywide
roadway plan, which will include suggestions such as building more
sidewalks or bike lanes to relieve congestion.

The process

The environmental assessment is the first phase of the planning
process, Reep explained. Officials will examine N.C. 107 traffic
capacity and who uses the road to develop a planning boundary.

Officials have a list of items they must identify and address while
conducting the assessment: purpose and need, establishing an agreement
on alternatives, coming up with the preferred alternative that will
have the least impact to the environment, mitigation for environmental
issues, and final design.

Since the study area is set, officials will develop a list of
alternatives to relieve congestion. Each alternative will be examined
to determine what type of impact it will have upon the environment,
Reep explained.

If officials are unaware of the impact an option may have upon the
environment, then an assessment will be conducted to get more details,
he said. If part of the proposal does adversely affect the environment,
officials must determine what mitigation will be needed.

All information from the study will be presented to the Federal Highway
Administration. Reep says during the assessment process the FHA will
listen to public opinion. Community workshops will be held throughout
the assessment process. Members of the Southwestern Commissions
Transportation Advisory Committee, a group of local officials from
Western North Carolina, will be involved.

Timeline

The assessment for N.C. 107 just started taking shape three weeks ago,
Reep said. Currently workers are looking at what features — like a bike
lane or sidewalks — can be added to N.C. 107. The study will also
identify narrow roadways and sharp curves. Reep says his firm will
gather information until February 2009. Officials will start
identifying alternatives in December 2009 and plan to have a final
recommendation in 2012. A design plan will be selected in 2013 and DOT
plans to start acquiring right-of-way in 2014.

Jackson starts U.S. 441 planning process

Jackson starts U.S. 441 planning process
By Jennifer Garlesky • Staff Writer
Smoky Mountain News
April 30, 2008

After four months of surveying and seeking public opinion, consultants
hired by Jackson County to develop a corridor plan for U.S. 441 have
all the information they need to begin writing a specific ordinance.

Land planners made a presentation to Jackson County commissioners last
week on the information they've gathered about the four-mile roadway
that leads visitors into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and
the Cherokee Indian Reservation.

The Raleigh-based firm Kimley-Horn and Associates developed the plan
for an area expected to become a hot spot for development once the
Whittier Sewer Treatment Plant is built this summer.

"We all know where there is water and sewer there will be growth," said
Commissioner Tom Massie. "We are trying to be ahead of the growth
curve."

The board hopes by developing a growth management plan for U.S. 441 it
will prevent unsightly commercial development. N.C. 107 in Sylva and
Russ Avenue in Waynesville have been used as examples of unsightly
growth.

The nuts and bolts

The plan encompasses 5,400 acres and divides the Qualla community into
two areas — the Gateway District and the River District.

The Gateway District stretches from the U.S. 23-74 entrance ramp onto
U.S. 441 to the Qualla Boundary. The River district is from U.S. 23-74
intersection south to Camp Creek Road.

Planners broke down the two districts into seven small study areas and
closely examined which regions should be preserved and what areas could
handle commercial, industrial or residential growth, said Mike
Rutkowski, project manager.

What is allowed where

The corridor is still very rural with only a few businesses and homes.
About 750 residents live in the study area. Several vacant motels, a
few shops and campgrounds are the primary businesses located along U.S.
441 before entering downtown Cherokee.

While studying the corridor, the firm sought community opinion. A
steering committee comprised of nine members who reside or own property
or a business in the study area was formed. Planners asked members
specific questions about how they would handle growth. Also, students
at Smokey Mountain Elementary and Cherokee schools participated in a
youth educational workshop. The firm polled students about what type of
businesses they wanted built in Qualla and what areas should be
preserved.

Community members also participated in a week-long workshop that
explained the growth management plan. Large topographic maps of the
study area lined the walls of the Qualla Community Center for residents
to mark and make suggestions. Residents were able to state their
concerns about the project at the workshop. Some opposed the project
because they said it infringed on their property rights. Others sought
input on how to develop their land.

Information gathered from students and the community was used to
develop the small area plan for the corridor, planners said.

The small area plan identifies 11 character areas. Each area was
studied to determine where industrial, commercial, recreation and
residential construction could occur. The plan also projects the amount
of growth expected for U.S. 441 over the next 10 years. Plans call for
250 to 330 homes; 70,000 square feet of retail development; 8,000
square feet of office developments; and a hotel, a visitor center, and
a new community center.

The plan also addresses the corridor's transportation issues. About
15,000 vehicles travel the corridor each day. Speeding is a common
problem along this four-mile stretch and many locals say it's unsafe.
This thoroughfare can become much safer by adding a plantable median
and installing sidewalks, Rutkowski said.

The development ordinance

The final outcome of the corridor study will be a model development
ordinance. The ordinance will give developers a set of guidelines to
follow such as design standards, parking lot location and landscaping
requirements, explained land planner Matt Noonkester.

He says the ordinance will give the county the authority to tell
developers what to expect if they choose to build in this area.

"It will give developers some predictability," he said.

The ordinance will set a list of prohibited uses, Noonkester said.
Based on community input, businesses like an asphalt plant, a motocross
track and big box stores are attractions local residents do not want to
see along the corridor, he said.

The firm has yet to begin drafting the ordinance. Planners just
received approval of the small area plan by commissioners on April 21.

Commissioners say the development ordinance will benefit the community
immensely.

"I am very pleased with Kimley-Horn," said Commissioner William
Shelton, who lives in Whittier. "I think we made a good selection and
we've done a good job and we've stayed true to our promise to allow the
public decide where they want growth."

Duke Energy's substation

Within the last week county officials began working with Kimley-Horn to
develop the model ordinance.

There is a push to move quickly to get some regulations on paper
because Duke Energy is planning to build a substation along the
corridor.

Duke is currently considering purchasing a piece of property along U.S.
441 and Camp Creek Road, according to a statement released by company
officials.

"We will have a new substation in place to address this demand for
electricity in the next two to four years," said Andy Thompson, Duke
Energy spokesperson. "We will be seeking public input on our plans as
part of this evaluation process. We will communicate the dates and
times for the public to learn more about our plans and provide input at
the appropriate time."

Company officials say Duke's existing supply of electricity in the U.S.
441 area is "becoming overloaded due to the increased growth."

Without an ordinance in place, Duke can build the structure to their
liking, planners say. "There are no regulations on development there,"
Rutkowski said.

Land planners hope to collaborate with Duke officials on the substation
design, Rutkowski said.

"A substation can be very unsightly for an area that's trying to
protect their scenic view," he said.

And since Jackson County and Duke have been at odds for the last
several years over Duke's plan for relicensing its hydropower plants in
the region, relations between the two entities have been strained.

Public pressure made a difference on road

Public pressure made a difference on road
Smoky Mountain News
April 16, 2008
Opinions

To the Editor:

It appears that common sense has prevailed at the North Carolina
Department of Transportation. We congratulate Joel Setzer and Conrad
Burrell for following the advice of the regional Transportation
Advisory Council and abandoning the Webster section of the Southern
Loop entirely and then going a step further — redefining the remaining
section from Hwy. 23/74 to Hwy. 107 as a "roadway" rather than an
expressway. This is an enormous step in the right direction. Smart
Roads has been involved with this issue since 2001.

We have introduced the community to national experts on transportation
alternatives who challenged the conventional approach of building
bigger and faster highways that consume large amounts of the landscape
without solving the original problem of traffic congestion.

Mr. Walter Kulash, an independent traffic consultant for Smart Roads,
gave a presentation at the Justice Center on Jan. 10, 2008, that
stressed the use and design of an upgraded "network" system of
inter-connecting roads in some ways more challenging to DOT planners
than the construction of "freeways." It appears this advice did not
fall on deaf ears.

Another lesson from the Southern Loop is the value of WCU's input. The
tide changed after Chancellor John Bardo recently clarified WCU's
position: that the University was interested only in an eastbound
connector road (towards Asheville) to accommodate its growing student
population. We still don't understand why it took so long for this
message to be heard by DOT officials.

We would also like to believe that Smart Roads played a critical role.
Officials respond to direct and sustained public pressure. Smart Roads
led that effort and asks for the public's continued support in
sustaining our dialog with DOT and its regional transportation groups.
In the months and years ahead as the "roadway" plan is formulated and
the "network" system to alleviate congestion on Hwy. 107 is developed,
the citizens of Jackson County will continue to need an advocate to
find out what is happening and to support those who are affected.

The Jackson County community deserves more than short-term solutions.
We also need a long-term vision for increased public transportation as
a way to moderate the negative impacts of sprawl development and our
dependence on fossil fuels. The growing cost of fuel and the problems
of environmental change matter in Western North Carolina as much as
anywhere.

Curtis Wood

Smart Roads

Cullowhee

DOT signals fresh look at Southern Loop

DOT signals fresh look at Southern Loop
Smoky Mountain News
April 16, 2008
Editorial

The state Department of Transportation has removed the most
controversial portion of the Southern Loop from its priority list, a
decision that is great news for Jackson County.

The Sylva Herald was the first to report last week that the DOT board
voted April 3 to stop planning for the portion of the road that would
have started somewhere along U.S. 441 and connected with N.C. 107
somewhere between Sylva and Cullowhee.

That portion of the Southern Loop — originally envisioned by DOT as a
connector between U.S. 441 and U.S. 23-74 — was the most hotly
contested because it would have traveled through historic Webster and
would have had to cross the Tuckasegee River.

The state decision is a welcome surprise, but there were indications it
was perhaps being considered.

As recently as April 2007 it appeared the Southern Loop was on the way
to being built. Division 14 DOT Chief Engineer Joel Setzer told The
Smoky Mountain News that he did not see any alternative to the proposed
bypass: "There isn't an alternative that can accommodate the traffic on
107. It is like trying to get a certain amount of water through a
four-inch pipe. It comes a time when you have so much water you can't
force it through."

By early this year, though, Setzer's opinion wasn't quite so strong. He
assured Jackson County citizens that the DOT was looking at several
options, including those that could include not building anything at
all: "(The study) will look at additional alternatives including a 'no
build' or 'do nothing' alternative," Setzer said in a memo circulated
within the DOT.

This proposed road has been, perhaps, the most controversial issue in
Jackson County over the last decade. The road has galvanized opponents
and led to the creation of the Smart Roads Alliance, which has doggedly
fought for other alternatives and a more open transportation planning
process.

In the opinion of many, the huge four-lane that would have cut a swath
through the countryside of Jackson County was a classic example of what
many in this state regard as DOT's impudence. That impudence took two
fronts: one, it ignored the desires of a majority of locals; and two,
it showed that the state's only solution to traffic woes was to build
more, bigger roads rather than looking at alternatives.

Conrad Burrell, a Sylva resident who represents this region on the
state Transportation Board, said that recent improvements to N.C. 116,
a proposed connectors road near Southwestern Community College, and the
fact that the road would have so drastically changed Webster were all
deciding factors in the decision.

While this news is welcome, and while Burrell's comments and an
apparent change within DOT are welcome, it will still be hard for those
who have opposed the road to simply stop the fight. The Southern Loop's
history shows that it has resurfaced in the DOT's plans when it was
seemingly on the back burner, and there is not assurance that this
won't happen again.

That said, the Smart Roads Alliance should see this action by DOT as a
wonderful opportunity to work together in planning Jackson County's
transportation future. The DOT, according to Burrell, is sincere about
looking at a laundry list of alternatives to reduce congestion on N.C.
107. Setzer has said the same thing.
Everyone knows the road is a disaster that is only going to get worse.
Smart Roads has invested hundreds of hours in studying options, and the
state still wants to do something between N.C. 107 and U.S. 23-74.

This story isn't over, but there is now a historic opportunity for it
to take a turn that could lead to a better transportation future for
Jackson County. Both sides in this debate need to seize this moment.

It’s official: DOT board scraps western half of Southern Loop

It's official: DOT board scraps western half of Southern Loop
The Sylva Herald
April 10, 2008
By Lynn Hotaling

State transportation officials last week took action that removed one
portion of the proposed Southern Loop from the Transportation
Improvement Plan and changed the status of the remaining segment.
During last Thursday's (April 3) session, N.C. Board of Transportation
members approved changes to the project referred to in the TIP as the
"Sylva-Dillsboro Loop" that reduced the length of the project and
modified the project description.

Initially conceived to stretch from U.S. 23/74 near Blanton Branch to
U.S. 23/441 near Cagle Branch, the proposed roadway was controversial
from the time projected routes were announced in 2003. The "western"
segment's proximity to the town of Webster and the Tuckaseigee River
were flashpoints for the road's opponents, who were led by the
grassroots Smart Roads Coalition.

Last week's action, which came barely a week after local civic leaders
recommended abandoning plans for the U.S. 441/N.C. 107 segment, also
downgrades the description of the remaining portion (U.S. 23/74 to N.C.
107) from "multi-lane freeway" to roadway – a change that will allow
N.C. Department of Transportation staff to explore other roadway
designs.

Former Jackson County Commissioner Conrad Burrell, who represents
Division 14 on the state transportation board, said he thought the
changes to the plan are a step forward.

According to Burrell, recent improvements to N.C. 116 and South River
Road, along with a planned N.C. 116/N.C. 107 connector near
Southwestern Community College, will take care of the traffic from that
direction for "quite some time."

In addition, Burrell said that after looking at the feasibility study
and seeing where the road was projected to go, he and other officials
didn't feel like going through Webster by the river was a good route.

"If it's ever built, it will have to go another route," he said.

With regard to the classification change for the remaining planned road
that will connect 23/74 with 107, Burrell said it will allow the DOT to
"study everything we can." That portion still appears necessary because
there are no connector roads like 116, he said.

First on the DOT agenda will be to get a study of N.C. 107 and any
roads that could be turned into connectors, he said.

"We'll study everything we can about 107 and see what we can do to
reduce congestion," he said, adding that this summer's planned
improvements on Cope Creek Road from 107 to East Cope Creek might help
shift some of the traffic.

Division 14 Engineer Joel Setzer, who said in May 2007 that he
envisioned the 23/74 to 107 connector as a two-lane road on a four-lane
right of way with total access management, also said the state board's
changes are a good thing.

"This will allow DOT to proceed with the project without going through
Webster, which means we don't have to deal with the issues of going
through the town and crossing the river," he said. "We can focus on the
link that will contribute most – I was hoping all along that we could
focus on that one leg."

Webster Mayor Steve Gray (who is also The Sylva Herald's publisher)
said he welcomed the news that his town would be spared the disruption
of a four-lane highway so near its numerous listings on the National
Register of Historic Places. One projected route would have gone right
between two of those – Webster's historic Methodist and Baptist
churches.

"Due to the fact that one of the proposals would have placed a major
highway through or in close proximity to Webster, I'm glad to see it's
no longer under consideration," Gray said.

Smart Roads' Susan Leveille, who represents that group on the Jackson
County Transportation Task Force, expressed guarded optimism with
regard to the transportation board's decision.

"That's good news, but we know things can change," she said. "We know
that things can reappear, but this is definitely a step in the right
direction, and I hope it's permanently off the TIP."

Leveille also expressed a desire to work with transportation officials
to find traffic solutions that are in everyone's best interest.

"I hope this means DOT is interested in public input from citizens, the
task force and Smart Roads," she said. "I hope we can start working
together to come up with wise solutions to our transportation
challenges that don't mean we have to give up our land, rural landscape
and quality of life."

The original project included a multi-lane freeway on new location from
U.S. 23/441 south of Dillsboro to U.S. 23/74.

DOT nixes portion of Southern Loop, for now

DOT nixes portion of Southern Loop, for now
Smoky Mountain News
April 16, 2008
By Jennifer Garlesky • Staff Writer

The N.C. Department of Transportation abandoned plans to build the
western half of Jackson County's controversial Southern Loop, signaling
a partial win for opponents to the project.

The DOT has also changed its terminology of the Southern Loop from
"multi-lane freeway" to "roadway." Opponents had previously argued the
DOT's official description of the Southern Loop as a multi-lane freeway
would preclude less intrusive designs, such as a boulevard, and
pigeonhole engineers into a freeway concept.

DOT's decision has members of the Smart Roads Alliance, a grassroots
organization pushing for alternatives to the Southern Loop, feeling
relieved.

"We feel great about DOT's decision," said Jeannette Evans, chairwoman
of Smart Roads Alliance and member of Jackson County's transportation
task force. "We applaud DOT and we are very thankful."

Scrapping half the Loop

The Southern Loop is supposed to relieve traffic on N.C. 107, the main
commercial corridor in Jackson. It was slated to bisect Jackson County,
running from U.S. 23-74 north of Sylva to U.S. 441 south of Dillsboro,
crossing N.C. 107 in between. The DOT has removed half the Southern
Loop from its to-do list, the half between N.C. 107 and U.S. 441. The
decision came from the 14-member N.C. Board of Transportation earlier
this month.

It came at the request of several entities: Conrad Burrell, DOT board
member from the region; Joel Setzer, head of the DOT for the region,
and the Southwestern Rural Planning Transportation Advisory Committee.

"It will allow DOT to look at more critical areas of transportation
needs," Burrell said of the removal.

He says the western section of the Southern Loop is no longer needed
because other road projects will serve to relieve congestion, such as
the paving of South River Road and upgrades to N.C. 116. Both of these
roadways run through Webster.

The biggest congestion relief will come from a new entrance road to
Southwestern Community College off N.C. 107. The road will run from
N.C. 116 behind the school and connect with N.C. 107.

Setzer and Burrell's recommendation comes as a surprise to some. Both
men have said the Southern Loop, presumably the whole thing, was the
only way to reduce traffic congestion on N.C. 107.

"There isn't an alternative that can accommodate the traffic on 107,"
Setzer said in a previous interview.

Doesn't have to be a highway

Board members also voted to change to the Southern Loop's description
from a multi-lane freeway to a roadway, said Setzer.

"It was not accurate for us to say we are going to construct a
multi-lane freeway," he said. "At the time it was just a best guess. We
are trying to look at all different alternatives."

One possible option is constructing a two-lane roadway, Setzer said.

"That is if a road is ever built," he added.

The new project calls for construction of simply a "roadway" from N.C.
107 to U.S. 23-74 east of Sylva, according to a press release from DOT.
The press release was sent to media two weeks ago by the DOT in
Raleigh, however the Smoky Mountain News did not receive it.

NCDOT Press Release:

TRANSPORTATION BOARD APPROVES CHANGES FOR PROPOSED HIGHWAY PROJECT NEAR SYLVA Thursday, April 03, 2008
Source: NCDOT

RALEIGH — The N.C. Board of Transportation today approved a change to the 2009-2015 State Transportation Improvement Program for the proposed Sylva-Dillsboro Loop (Project R-4745) in Jackson County. The change reduces the length of the project and modifies the project description.

“This change allows NCDOT to focus on the most critical transportation needs of the area, while ensuring that our transportation decisions are helping to provide citizens in Dillsboro and Sylva the best quality of life,” said board member Conrad Burrell of Sylva, who represents Jackson County.

The new project calls for construction of a roadway from N.C. 107 to U.S. 23/74 east of Sylva, dropping the western portion of the project. Also, by changing the description from multi-lane freeway to roadway NCDOT staff is allowed to study other roadway designs. The western portion of the project, from U.S. 23/441 to N.C. 107, has been dropped.

The original project included a multi-lane freeway on new location from U.S. 23/441 south of Dillsboro to U.S. 23/74.

***NCDOT***

TAC votes to remove portion of Southern Loop from prioritization list

TAC votes to remove portion of Southern Loop from prioritization list
The Sylva Herald
March 27, 2008
By Stephanie Salmons

Jackson County officials, along with those from neighboring counties,
met Monday (March 24) for a meeting of the Transportation Advisory
Committee, which is part of the Southwestern Commission's Rural
Planning Organization.

The Southwestern Commission RPO serves Jackson, Cherokee, Clay, Graham,
Macon, and Swain counties and it also includes a Technical Coordinating
Committee.

The TCC serves to make staff-level recommendations to the TAC and
consists of local planners, county and town managers, N.C. Department
of Transportation staff, economic development professionals and local
transportation committee members. The TAC is the policy-making body of
the RPO.

TAC members voted Monday to amend the RPO's prioritized list of
projects for the region. According to RPO planner Ryan Sherby, the TAC
had previously approved the prioritization.

"We have had lot of public contact the RPO concerning the Jackson
County prioritized list of projects, particularly the Southern Loop
portion from U.S. 23/441 to N.C. 107," Sherby said. "Also the elected
officials in the county who serve on the committee recommended that we
consider removing that, the public recommended it and DOT also feels
that portion is not in their priorities."

Sherby recommended to the committee that they formally strike the item
from the prioritized list of projects.

"I will make the motion that we strike that permanently from the list,"
Webster Mayor Steve Gray said.

Bryson City vice mayor Kate Welch voiced concern about the ranking of
projects in Swain County and said that she would like to move
improvement along U.S. 19 from Hughes Branch Road to U.S. 441 in
Cherokee to the top of Swain County's priority list.

Gray amended his motion to include this and the motion was passed
unanimously.

The TAC also approved a planning work program along with a five-year
planning calendar.

Letter: Task force meeting was 'puzzling'

The Sylva Herald
Letters to the Editor: 02/28/08

Task force meeting was 'puzzling'

To the Editor:

Observing the Feb. 13 Jackson County Transportation Task Force meeting
was a puzzling experience for this taxpayer. While grateful that it was
open to the public, I left wondering what exactly the Department of
Transportation means when they assure us they are responsive to the
community.

The bulk of the meeting focused on developing data for a comprehensive
transportation plan and included the circulation of a proposed
community survey. One might have never guessed that there was a highly
controversial road lurking in the background.

Finally, at the end of the agenda, Walter Kulash, an independent
traffic consultant representing the Smart Roads Alliance, brought up
the subject of the Southern Loop – the "elephant in the room." From his
questions I learned that DOT has already started an environmental study
for the proposed four-lane highway, despite considerable public
opposition as far back as when the Southern Loop was first proposed. I
later learned that this particular project/environmental study comes
with a $2 million price tag.

When Kulash pointed out that such a study could expand its scope of
work to include a consideration of alternatives, DOT (District
Engineer) Joel Setzer answered with something that struck me as
equivalent to "trust me." Setzer suggested that the comprehensive plan
might deal with alternatives "perhaps in 2009." Why in the world should
the public or the task force wait that long for serious consideration
of alternatives? Shouldn't such a study include alternatives now?
Common sense says "yes."

One of the items on the agenda was a draft for a community survey. The
gist of the survey questions aim at whether there is a traffic problem,
where the congestion is and whether we want more efficient roads. No
questions about the public's preference for solutions – do we want a
multi-lane freeway or do we think traffic problems can be solved by
other solutions?

I hope the task force will revise the survey to include such questions.
But even if they do, it remains to be seen whether the DOT will pay
attention to the answers. If the DOT is responsive to community
concerns, that should be reflected in their actions. It isn't enough to
say "trust us."

Pat Montee
Sylva

County residents are invited to complete transportation survey

County residents are invited to complete transportation survey
The Sylva Herald
February 28, 2008

Jackson County, the Southwestern Rural Transportation Planning
Organization and the N.C. Department of Transportation's Planning
Branch are seeking public input as part of Jackson County's
Comprehensive Transportation Plan.

County residents are asked to complete a short survey to identify
transportation issues and needs, with answers being used to prepare a
county CTP.

During the CTP process, the county's future transportation needs will
be determined, and solutions will be recommended, according to
Southwestern Commission transportation planner Ryan Sherby. Alternative
modes of transportation will also be studied, and the process will
involve local government officials and the public. Public workshops
will also be held in the future to receive additional input on local
transportation issues.

Paper copies of the survey are available at the Jackson County Public
Library, the Jackson County Planning Department, Sylva's town hall, and
the offices of the Southwestern Commission. The survey can also be
downloaded or completed online at

http://www.regiona.org/econdev/transportation-planning.htm.

Those who are unable to access the survey online or pick up a copy may
call Sherby at 586-1962, ext. 214, or e-mail him at ryan@regiona.org.

Surveys should be completed by March 31 and returned to Ryan Sherby,
Southwestern Commission RPO, 125 Bonnie Lane, Sylva, NC 28779.

Comments on the community survey

On behalf of Smart Roads we wish to make the following observations re:
the current course of the task force. We assume the recent
transportation survey has been developed by NCDOT and the RPO, and
there exists a genuine interest in reaching the public for "input."
 
We find the deadline [March 31, 2008] for completed surveys to be
somewhat arbitrary. Smart Roads
is planning a transportation "display" at the Public Library in April;
we are also planning to table at the "Greening of the Mountains"
Festival in Sylva [in April], an event that draws thousands of people.
Thus we feel the survey could reach significantly more people if the
deadline were extended until April 31, 2008. Perhaps this could be
discussed and voted on via emails among task force members.
 
A more pressing problem exists: the task force [and the community
survey] are proceeding as if there is no controversy over the southern
loop. Is the task force going to proceed until June[?], 2009 with a
comprehensive transportation plan that totally ignores the "elephant in
the room?"
 
We have been told by DOT officials for the past year there is clear
public support for the southern loop; this was later "qualified" by DOT
as "indirect public support." However no official DOT documentation
supports this.
 
The survey should at least make some attempt to determine
public support or non-support for constructing a "multi-lane freeway."
This could be done in the spirit of a somewhat feckless and general
survey question, something comparable to question # 10-e.g. such as:
"Are there any specific transportation issues that you are particularly
concerned with that are NOT addressed by this survey?" Such a question
might actually give the public an opportunity to deal with real issues
[without mentioning the southern loop].
 
The current survey is professional, predictable, and serves the purpose
of confirming we have traffic problems.
 
We feel the addition of such a question is important enough to merit
discussion at the next task force meeting on March 12. If the surveys
have been printed and circulated, then we propose the deadline be
extended until April 31 to allow for a 1/8-1/4 page insert be added for
such a question [in hard copy]. This would be no problem with
electronic surveys. Additional questions should be approved by the task
force.
 
It is time the DOT/RPO proceed in "partnership" with the county task
force. Please don't tell us it is too early in the "process" to address
this issue.
 
Respectfully,
 
Susan Leveille
Roger Turner
Smart Roads Alliance

The Sylva Herald - Letters To The Editor

The Sylva Herald
February 21, 2008
Letters To The Editor

Sylva needs safer roads

To the Editor:

"Not new roads, smarter roads" reads a popular bumper sticker. The
building of the Southern Loop is under debate, but one fact that will
not be disputed is the need for smarter, safer roads.

As a Franklin resident who spends much time in the Sylva/Cullowhee
area, I am often told by Jackson locals that Franklin is an odd and
even scary town. If Franklin is shady or creepy, I have become
acclimated to it so as not to notice. I do know that I find Sylva, from
N.C. 116 to downtown to be very scary when it is dark and raining. When
Jackson County residents divulge to me their negative feelings toward
Franklin, I say, "hey, at least Franklin has reflectors on its roads."
They seem to stop and reflect, their faces flashing back agreement.

I am terrified driving through a dim, damp Sylva. The painted lane
markers are concealed underneath the reflective surface of rainwater.
If the stripes do reflect the light of headlights, they are not
discernible against the striped myriad of reflected tail-lights,
headlights, traffic lights, store lights and so on. Drivers must strain
to know their locations in the lanes and must trust that the drivers
around them know where they themselves are. Motorists drive into the
lanes of opposing traffic, thinking they are in a turn-lane, thereby
presenting ample opportunity for collisions. Now isn't that scary?

Come on Sylva. Make N.C. 107 a smarter, safer road by making the lanes
clearly visible in all weather situations.

Until Sylva installs road reflectors, I must say if I were to choose
between Franklin and Sylva, Sylva is scarier, at least with respect to
traffic.

Thomas Berger
Franklin

Fix is in' on Southern Loop

To the Editor:

Well it seems that the forces of "progress" are back at it again on
this Southern Loop highway that they are determined to ram down
people's throats. This time, because they were hammered with so much
resistance on their last foray, they have taken the Washington, D.C.,
approach of trying to sneak it in through backroom deals and "private"
meetings. The Smart Roads organization is trying to fight this erosion
of Jackson County, but they need help. I know that if your house is not
on the chopping block this seems like no big deal, but remember, they
can always come for your home on their next pork project. This road is
desired by a select few that will derive financial and political
benefit from a highway ripping a gash in the mountainsides of Sylva and
Webster. Make no mistake, there are some of your elected officials that
are all about this road happening, and it would be prudent to find out
whom, and make sure that they do not get re-elected – ever. They are
putting the wants of a very few over the wants of the community, and
using the power of eminent domain as a crowbar to break in and steal
people's land. In the case of my family, (it's) land we have had for
more than 100 years. Follow the cigar smoke, folks, and find the fat
man.

People have come to Jackson County for decades to escape congestion,
pollution and overcrowding. But now we have some that wish to inject
those things into this beautiful mountain oasis. This road will be of
great benefit to the massive expansion of Western Carolina University.
It will also help out the "mega-bucks" communities being developed
around Bear Lake and in Cashiers. But it is zero benefit to the local
residents. The locals will get the shaft, as usual, in a nice, pretty
package tied up with a bow. Drive up to where I live in New Jersey if
you want to see what you are going to be getting, or drive down to
Atlanta or to Raleigh. Is that what you want? This road will destroy
untold acres of pristine mountain land, and it will destroy the homes,
dreams and memories of hundreds of native citizens who just happen to
be in the way of a few greedy people's "progress." Stand up and fight.
This affects all of us. Don't allow backroom deals and sleazy politics
to destroy something as grand as our mountains. Once you send in the
bulldozers, there is no getting it back.

Frank Huguelet
Pennsville, N.J.

County transportation task force establishes study boundary

County transportation task force establishes study boundary
The Sylva Herald
February 21, 2008
By Lynn Hotaling
http://thesylvaherald.com/html/county_transportation_task_for.html

Members of Jackson County's transportation task force last week (Feb.
13) identified a study boundary and determined existing roads that will
be included as they proceed toward developing a comprehensive
transportation plan.

Meeting for the first time in six months, the group heard from N.C.
Department of Transportation planner Sarah Smith that delineating a
boundary and identifying the existing thoroughfares to be included are
the necessary first steps that could lead to a Jackson County CTP by
June 2009.

Several present, including Smart Roads Alliance member Susan Leveille
and that group's consultant, Walter Kulash, questioned why planning for
the controversial Southern Loop is proceeding separately from the task
force's discussion of the county's transportation needs.

That road, proposed in 2003 as a link from U.S. 23/74 near Blanton
Branch to U.S. 23/441 near Cagle Branch, is now discussed by DOT
officials in terms of a "link" between U.S. 23/74 and N.C. 107 or Old
Cullowhee Road (S.R. 1002).

Kulash asked why DOT is looking at a new road before the CTP identifies
the county's transportation needs.

District 14 Division Engineer Joel Setzer, who was at the task force
meeting, said it's because planning with regard to the Southern Loop
will take a long time to develop. Also, he said that he doubts there
will be a corridor link with existing roads, and that it's highly
likely some kind of link will be shown to be needed.

When Kulash asked if the DOT's process could be expanded to include
alternatives besides a new road as well as a broader corridor, Setzer
said the DOT's scoping process for the new road is not complete and
that alternatives have not been set.

"The way I intend to present it is that we need to look at constructing
a link," Setzer said. "Does it need to end on old 107 (now Old
Cullowhee Road) or new 107? We're not considering just one thing."

After Kulash stated that Southern Loop planning didn't seem to be a
"transparent process," Setzer offered to have the Southern Loop project
engineers attend a task force meeting to answer questions.

When Leveille asked whether the Southern Loop is proceeding without
input from the task force, Setzer said that planning is taking place.
That planning does not include all the way from U.S. 23/74 to U.S. 441,
however, and only one meeting has been held so far, he said.

"There's nothing hard and fast," Setzer said.

"So that process will proceed with or without this task force?"
Leveille asked.

"It currently is proceeding, and the task force is proceeding," Setzer
said. "There are opportunities for them to mesh – if you proceed on
schedule (and have a CTP) by June 2009, those things will be meshed. By
then we'll know a lot more about the development of (the Southern Loop)
project."

Leveille pointed out that the reason the group, which was first
organized in 2003, is not on schedule is not the fault of the task
force but due to changes in DOT and Region A planning personnel.

"We can't be held up by the DOT again," she said.

County Commissioner William Shelton, who was also present for the
session, said it was the county's intent that the work of the task
force would mesh with DOT planning and that the task force's input
would weigh into the Southern Loop project.

The question of the Southern Loop corridor also came up during the
group's discussion of a study boundary, when Leveille said she thought
any area the DOT is considering as a potential Loop route should be
included in the study area.

Setzer responded that since Cullowhee is the destination and the DOT is
trying to develop a connector from 23/74 to either old or new 107, he
thought the proposed southern project boundary – the N.C. 107/N.C. 281
intersection – "is far enough south to capture the link."

The study boundary approved Feb. 13 is larger than an earlier one
identified during the task force's first meeting in 2004. It includes
all of U.S. 441 from Cherokee to the Macon County line and extends out
23/74 to its intersection with Skyland Drive at Sugarloaf. As mentioned
above, it extends out 107 to Tuckasegee.

Roads listed by the task force in its study include all those within
the boundary that are not dead ends – N.C. 107, North and South River
roads, Old Cullowhee Road, N.C. 116, Little Savannah Road, Cope Creek
Road and Centennial Drive.

Task force member Jay Coward asked whether Cane Creek, Locust Creek and
Fairview roads should be part of the study; town of Sylva Planning
Director Jim Aust said they should not be, because they are currently
dead ends.

Such roads could become connecting roads under a plan developed by Aust
as a possible alternative to the eastern portion of the Southern Loop.
The Smart Roads group and Kulash have endorsed that plan, which
includes construction of sections of new two-lane roads to connect
existing roads and create travel alternatives to N.C. 107. The Aust
plan was not discussed during Wednesday's meeting.

With the task force's approval of the study boundary and network roads,
Smith said DOT planners will continue with data collection with regard
to those roads.

"Right now we're looking at the current traffic and current capacity,"
she said. "Once we have the current capacity, we'll look at future
traffic projections to see what to do to address it."

That data should be available at the group's next meeting, which is
scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 12, in Room A-227 of the Justice
Center, Smith said.

The other major topic discussed Feb. 13 was a survey that's planned to
gather additional public input on residents' traffic concerns.

According to Smith, DOT planners have found that public information
sessions work better once some recommendations are made, but a survey
would be a way to gauge the public's current feelings.

Plans are to post the survey online and have copies available at town
halls and libraries. Target dates for the survey to be available are
March 1 through March 31.

The proposed survey asks respondents to identify the community they
live in, state their race or ethnicity and give their age. It asks them
to rate the importance of transportation goals such as increased public
transportation options, economic growth, community and rural culture
preservation, environmental protection, faster travel times, service of
special needs and increased transportation choices.

Other questions ask if respondents currently use an alternate route to
avoid N.C. 107 and whether they would use sidewalks, off-road trails or
greenways, off-road bicycle routes, or buses, if such options were
available.

In addition, the survey will ask residents to identify locations where
they experience traffic congestion on a regular basis, when the
congestion occurs and possible reasons for the congestion, i.e. rush
hour, school bus pick-up/drop-off, lack of a left turn lane.

DOT accused of convoluted planning

DOT accused of convoluted planning
Smoky Mountain News
February 20, 2008
By Becky Johnson • Staff Writer
http://smokymountainnews.com/issues/02_08/02_20_08/fr_dot_accused.html

Opponents to the Southern Loop again urged the N.C. Department of
Transportation to halt planning for the new highway last week during a
meeting of the Jackson County Transportation Task Force.

They asked the DOT to hold off until the task force finished its
long-rang transportation plan — a plan that could reveal new solutions
to traffic congestion other than the Southern Loop. The DOT is backing
the development of the long-range transportation plan. But meanwhile,
it has also launched a $2.2 million planning process for the Southern
Loop.

An independent traffic engineer, Walter Kulash, questioned the
seemingly diametrically opposed planning tracks. Opponents fear the
Southern Loop will become a fait accomplis if planning gets too far
along, and that alternative solutions proposed in the transportation
plan won't get an honest look.

"I'm curious why we are continuing with a process for a very specific
type of solution," said Kulash, who has been enlisted by the Smart
Roads Alliance in its quest for alternative solutions to the Southern
Loop. "Why are we embarking on a study confined to a multi-lane freeway
in a fairly narrow geographic corridor while we are going through a
comprehensive transportation plan?"

Sarah Smith, a DOT staffer assigned to the task force, replied that the
two planning tracks — the Southern Loop planning on one hand and the
comprehensive transportation plan on the other — are two different
processes.

That was Kulash's point: the two processes seemed divorced when they
shouldn't be.

Joel Setzer, head of the DOT for the region, replied that it was a safe
bet to continue with the Southern Loop planning rather than wait on the
outcome of the transportation plan. In all likelihood, the
transportation plan will call for something akin to the Southern Loop —
a new link between N.C. 107 and U.S. 23-74, Setzer said. It will be
good to have a jump start on the planning since it is going to take so
long, Setzer said.

"I think it is highly likely after you've done the analysis that some
kind of link will be shown to be needed," Setzer said. "It is somewhat
of a gamble to proceed with project development, but project
development will take years to complete. The concept of this link is
going to take a long time to develop."

By then, the comprehensive transportation plan will have caught up,
Setzer said.

Conrad Burrell, a Jackson County resident who is the regional
representative on the state DOT board, was at the meeting with Setzer
but did not speak.

Susan Leveille, a representative of the Smart Roads Alliance on the
task force, asked Setzer if the planning for the Southern Loop was
proceeding without input by the task force.

"Unless you have given any input I don't know about to the project
engineer, the planning is proceeding," Setzer replied. The planning is
largely being handled out of Raleigh, with the local DOT branch serving
in an advisory capacity only.

County Commissioner William Shelton, a member of the task force, said
county leaders want to see the comprehensive transportation plan done
first — before the Southern Loop planning.

"The way I heard it just now is there is a chance that these two things
will mesh, and a chance they may not mesh," Shelton said at the
meeting. "I think we need to do everything in our power to make sure
they do."

Shelton reminded the room of the county commissioners' resolution last
fall calling on the DOT to place a comprehensive transportation list at
the top of its to-do list, ahead of Southern Loop planning. County
leaders were specifically asked to weigh in on the DOT's list of
priorities. The county commissioners unanimously ranked the
comprehensive transportation plan above the Southern Loop, Shelton
said.

"When we suggested this comprehensive transportation plan be brought
forward as a top priority, our intention was that it would not be two
separate things," Shelton said.

Shelton said people need to know whether the comprehensive
transportation plan will mean anything.

"The public perception is that this is a done deal. I think they need
to be told in layman's language that it is or isn't and whether or not
this comprehensive study is going to have an impact on the Southern
Loop," Shelton said.

Not everyone on the task force saw a problem with Southern Loop
planning and a comprehensive transportation plan being developed
concurrently. Dr. Cecil Groves, president of Southwestern Community
College, said the two will in all likelihood mesh. Groves said it is
wise to get a jumpstart on Southern Loop planning. The planning will
take so long as it is, additional delays should be avoided.

"By then you really have a mess brewing on 107," Groves said.

Task force tangle

Setzer said he had hoped the comprehensive transportation plan would be
done by now, then there wouldn't be a timing problem that everyone
seems so concerned about. But, it's not too late for the task force to
influence the planning process for the Southern Loop, he said. The
comprehensive transportation plan will take a year to complete.
Planning for the Southern Loop will still be in the early stages by
then, Setzer said.

"If your work is able to proceed on schedule and be close to 2009, and
you progress in your work, those two processes will be meshed
together," Setzer told the task force.

Leveille seemed offended. She said the task force would be delighted to
proceed in its work if DOT would stop holding them up. The task force
has been stalled by a revolving door of DOT staffers assigned to
oversee the task force, she said. The current staffer makes number
four. In between changes of the guard, the task force was put on hold,
sometimes for as long as a year. Jay Coward, a member of the task
force, has accused the DOT of purposeful "evasion and delay" of the
task force.

"To be held up for five years because the DOT couldn't join us, I trust
that won't happen again," Leveille said. "There are enough of us here
with good minds that we can move forward with something."

On the other hand, task force members did not take the initiative to
meet in the absence of a DOT staffer to oversee them. That's largely
due to a presumption that the DOT controlled the task force, down to
what could and couldn't be discussed at meetings, making the staffer in
charge feel like a handler rather than facilitator.

All in the wording

Kulash didn't dispute that N.C. 107 — the commercial drag and commuter
route in Jackson County — needs a new link. But not necessarily a
multi-lane freeway, he said. Kulash suggested broadening the scope of
the Southern Loop planning so the DOT wouldn't pigeonhole itself.

"I understand you have to get started on something now but can that
something have a broader scope?" Kulash asked.

Setzer said not to worry. The scope of the project hasn't been set yet,
he said.

Kulash questioned that assertion, however, pointing to a DOT memo
soliciting consulting firms to oversee the Southern Loop planning
process. The memo describes the job as "a multi-lane facility on new
location" with "controlled access."

"That knocks out anything other than multilane and any use of existing
roads," Kulash said. "If I was a consultant — and I am a consultant — I
would look at this and say 'You are asking me to design a multi-lane on
a new location.'"

Setzer said that wording was simply used to solicit consultants. Before
the consultants get started, they will get new marching orders. That
hasn't happened yet, he said.

In that case, Kulash asked Setzer to change the wording so as not to
bias the consultants. Better yet, Kulash asked if the task force could
participate in developing the wording to ensure that a "full and fair
range of alternatives" are studied by the consultants.

Setzer said it would.

"The DOT is not focused on just the alternatives that everyone says
they are," Setzer said. "There is nothing hard and fast and there is
nothing off the table."

Kulash was still skeptical, again pointing to the language in the memo
seeking consultants.

"I don't see a transparent process so that the task force members can
satisfy themselves that it is going forward with a sufficiently broad
scope," Kulash said.

A consulting firm for the Southern Loop has already been selected, KO
Associates out of Raleigh. The DOT has nearly finalized its contract
with KO, and the language is indeed less specific than the original
memo, according to Michael Penney, contract management engineer with
the DOT in Raleigh.

"The contract isn't written so specifically that it can't evolve. It
doesn't stipulate the type of facility," Penney said in a phone
interview.

The actual contract with KO describes the job this way: "The consultant
will perform project development associated with the proposed Southern
Loop around Sylva-Dillsboro from U.S. 23-74 to U.S. 441."

That leaves it open for the consultants to consider a boulevard-type
road, for example — although that's not the impression Penney said he
had of the project.

"If you are trying to move traffic from point A to point B most
expeditiously with the least amount of congestion then a boulevard
doesn't achieve that," Penney said. "It sort of depends on what is
driving the process."

Penney said his impression of the job was to design a new highway that
would move large volumes of traffic quickly. That concept was laid out
in the county's old comprehensive transportation plan developed in the
early 1990s, Penney said.

"Based on what we were provided, which was from a previous
comprehensive plan, that's what we were told," Penney said. "If they
change the comprehensive plan that would have to be taken into
consideration."

The real marching orders for the Southern Loop planning — the holy
grail of the planning process so to speak — will be the "purpose and
need" statement. That has yet to be developed, but once it is, it
becomes the litmus test by which everything else is judged. If an
alternative doesn't meet the "purpose and need," it won't be
considered.

If the "purpose and need" is broad — such as reducing traffic
congestion on N.C. 107 — it opens the door for all sorts of
alternatives to be considered. If the purpose and need statement is
narrow — such as build a new road around Sylva and Dillsboro — it will
confine the options that are considered.

Setzer said the "purpose and need" statement likely won't be drafted
until the fall.

What is the Southern Loop?

The Southern Loop is a proposed freeway that will bisect Jackson County
with an interchange over N.C. 107 somewhere between Cullowhee and
Sylva. It will tie into U.S. 23-74 somewhere north of Sylva and U.S.
441 somewhere south of Dillsboro.

What is a comprehensive transportation plan?

After five years of various hold-ups, the N.C. Department of
Transportation is finally embarking on a comprehensive transportation
plan for Jackson County.

In a nutshell, the plan will predict future traffic congestion and come
up with solutions.

"We'll have a number for future traffic, and we'll have the carrying
capacity for the roads. What roads in the future are going to go over
that capacity? That's where we have to come up with solutions — to
address those roads that are over capacity," explained Sarah Smith, a
DOT staffer in Raleigh assigned to the comprehensive transportation
plan.

Solutions could mean new roads or improving traffic flow of existing
roads. Solutions could mean the controversial Southern Loop freeway or
smarter intersection designs. The Jackson County Transportation Task
Force will serve as an advisory board during the process, but the plan
will ultimately be developed by DOT staff in Raleigh.

Residents have two chances to influence the transportation plan. The
first is by filling out a survey in March. The second is public
workshops in late-summer. Watch The Smoky Mountain News for how to
participate in both.