Leaders celebrate corridor designation
By Steve Herring
Published in News on March 31, 2016 1:46 PM
Full Size
News-Argus/ALAN CAMPBELL
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory speaks during the interstate sign unveiling ceremony Wednesday at an unfinished section of U.S. 70 bypass in Wayne County.
Full Size
News-Argus/ALAN CAMPBELL
Congressman G.K. Butterfield speaks Wednesday during the interstate sign unveiling ceremony at an unfinished section of U.S. 70 bypass in Wayne County.
"Isn't it wonderful?" former Wayne County Commissioner Jack Best said as he glanced over at the plain large green highway sign with "Future Interstate" spelled out in white letters.
Even without a highway number, the sign's unveiling during a Wednesday morning ceremony was hailed as a testimony to what teamwork can accomplish and as herald of future economic growth.
Gov. Pat McCrory, state Secretary of Transportation Nick Tennyson and Congressman G.K. Butterfield were among the nearly 100 people who gathered for the ceremony on the unfinished final leg of what will be the U.S. 70 Goldsboro Bypass just a short distance from where it merges with the existing U.S. 70 east of Goldsboro.
In December, President Obama signed into law a new five-year transportation bill designating the U.S. 117 and U.S. 70 highway corridors as future Interstates.
The bill does not provide any funding for the two highways, but does provide a strong bargaining tool for future funding, local leaders said.
The future Interstate does not yet have a number. That that will be forthcoming from the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials within the next couple of months.
"They will pick a number somewhere between 40 and 70," Tennyson said. "When we have that then we really will be able to start talking about what the plan is.
"We have got a lot of work ahead of us, but we hit a major milestone today thanks to a lot of hard work by a lot of people, a clear vision of what needs to happen and extraordinary effort on the part of a lot of folks at NCDOT down through the years to make sure we delivered the product in eastern North Carolina."
It is a team effort, McCrory said.
"It is nice talking about roads and infrastructure, connectivity and economic development because that is what this state is all about," McCrory said. "It is about connecting, cities and towns, ports and economic centers. The future of how the state is going to be is dependent on how we can connect with each other -- small towns, large cities and our ports.
"To make that happen we have a 25-year transportation plan which is clearly spelled out which this region has had great teamwork, and I want to thank the congressman also for being a great team member in Washington helping us implement this 25-year transportation plan. This is especially crucial for eastern North Carolina because our port at Morehead City to be connected to the rest of North Carolina is crucial for the entire (U.S. 70) corridor between Raleigh and Morehead City."
That connectivity will mean future jobs, economic development and will help the agriculture community transport products to and from the market and the rest of the world, McCrory said.
So the road is not just part of the state's transportation plan, it is part of the economic development plan as well, he said.
"I agree with Jack Best," said Transportation Board member Gus Tulloss of Rocky Mount. "It is absolutely wonderful. This is an incredibly historic day. It just took a lot of hard work and dedication, and it is here today.
"It is going to be great. It is just incredible what it is going to mean for folks going from Raleigh coming here and vice-versa and getting down to the coast. The economic boom that it is going to open up for us in the future if we can get the Interstate plus get it four-laned all of the way to the coast and back up to the mountains. It will do what I-40 did for Wilmington."
Earlier on it was a "real dogfight" to get anything done because of people protecting their home territory, Tulloss said.
"Then when the secretary of transportation at that time said, 'You need to come as a group otherwise we can't help you,'" he said. "Boy they started putting that thing (Super 70 Corridor Commission) together, hired Durwood Stephenson (as director). It was cooperation just like you don't see anywhere else. I think that has been fabulous."
That kind of cooperation is vital to continued success and groups are setting aside "petty difference" to get the job done, he said.
Butterfield, who introduced the federal legislation to secure the designation for the U.S. 70 and U.S. 117 corridors, said building a highway takes collaboration from a lot of different stakeholders.
"It (transportation bill) is not an appropriations bill," he said. "I just want the public to understand the importance of investing in surface transportation because it is a job creator."
The road creates immediate jobs for the workers building the highway, he said. It also creates long-term opportunities for entrepreneurs who can build businesses along an Interstate, Butterfield said.
"Plus it is a means of getting commodities from the farm and manufacturing facilities down to the port," Butterfield said. "We have got to compete with Charleston and Norfolk. Those ports are outdistancing our Morehead City port tremendously. So we have got to find a way to build up economic development in eastern North Carolina, and the way you do it is a good education system and a good transportation system."
Wayne County Commission Chairman Joe Daughtery said he also is looking forward to seeing a similar sign erected on U.S. 117.
"We were trying to get I-795 continued down to I-40," he said. "So we had to get that designated as a future Interstate. Congressman Butterfield was so instrumental in getting that bill introduced.
"I couldn't be happier because this is really what it is all about for eastern North Carolina. We may not see it, but it will bring for our children and our grandchildren so much economic vitality for our region."
Goldsboro Mayor Chuck Allen said many people had been working for many years to get the bypass built.
It shows that government does not work fast, he said.
"But it shows you what can be done with teamwork," he said. "It shows you what can be done with leadership, tenacity and just follow through. There are a lot of really good people who have worked to bring this thing together. I am just so proud.
"It is not us. It is our future folks who are going to enjoy this. Our future generations are who we are doing this for, and it is just a great asset for eastern North Carolina."