Road nearly done: New U.S. 70 will improve the flow of both traffic and local economy

Work on the long awaited U.S. 70 bypass is nearly finished.

More than a quarter century has passed since the idea of a new U.S. 70 bypass to replace the congested, stoplight-filled existing one first came up, and it has taken these many years for the planning, right-of-way acquisition, grading and paving to be accomplished.

Not everyone was happy to see the new bypass in its existing location. Some landowners, of course, were not thrilled to see their land go. And more than one business owner felt his or her company would suffer from the relocation of traffic.

But progress comes at a cost, and when all is said and done the new bypass will be a boon to both Wayne County and to travelers through the county. Goldsboro has long been one of the chief bottlenecks on the road between Raleigh and the coast, and the new bypass will eliminate that.

And it certainly will give rise to a new wave of development in the northern part of the county. It won't be long before you see gas stations, convenience stores and the like pop up at the intersections of the roadway. Roads are the lifeblood of an economy, and Wayne will soon have a new artery. Along with the planned improvements to U.S. 117, the county will become the crossroads of major highways envisioned so many years ago.

Published in Editorials on April 20, 2016 10:45 AM