Mount Olive, NCDOT to hear from public on intersection
By Kelly Corbett
Published in News on February 5, 2012 1:50 AM
MOUNT OLIVE -- A public hearing for the proposed safety changes to the intersection of U.S. 117 South and Main Street in Mount Olive is planned for Monday's Mount Olive town board meeting.
Officials from the North Carolina Department of Transportation will present maps with two options for the intersection. The first would close the median on U.S. 117 South completely, restricting any crossover movements, said Tim Little, division operations engineer.
"If you're coming down Main (Street) from Mount Olive, you can take a right to go back to Goldsboro," Little said.
The second would allow left-turn movements onto Main Street from traffic on U.S. 117 South.
"That is the predominant movement by far," Little said.
A fatality at the intersection prompted an analysis by the state DOT, which looked at accidents over the past five years. The DOT has been working on the proposed changes since June.
There is no scheduled presentation for the meeting, but DOT officials will be present at the hearing.
"If anybody has any specific questions, we're going to be there to answer them," Little said.
Regional traffic safety engineer David Morton said safety funds are being pursued to take care of the project.
Division project engineer Jerry Page said the estimated cost for the project is about $175,000.
"Obviously, the whole reason for this project is to make that area safer," Little said. "That's what's driving the project, because there have been several accidents there."
Town Manager Charles Brown said the intersection of U.S. 117 South and Main Street is the only intersection in question in Mount Olive as of now.
"We've had some serious accidents out there and some fatalities," Brown said.
He said the intersection has a long history of accidents dating back about 10 years.
"They have looked at it and their engineers have studied it," Brown said. "They have a proposed solution, but they want input from the community before they begin."
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the town courtroom, located at 114 E. James St.