Public gives comments, questions about William Street improvements
By Steve Herring
Published in News on June 29, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Casey Harris of HDR Consulting points to an area of William Street as he describes the plan to a few local business owners that could be affected by the construction and improvements Tuesday night at the Goldsboro Event Center.
The public had the opportunity Tuesday night to comment on, and ask questions about, a $21 million roadway improvement plan to turn North William Street (U.S. 117 North) into a four-lane, median-divided highway between U.S. 70 and the new U.S. 70 Bypass.
The public meeting on the plan was held from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Goldsboro Event Center.
The project area was displayed on large maps. A smaller map was included in a handout that explains the project.
There was no formal presentation, but state Department of Transportation officials were on hand to explain the plan and to answer questions.
Those attending were also asked to submit comments. Comments will be accepted until Tuesday, July 12.
Right-of-way acquisition is scheduled for fiscal year 2017 with construction to begin as early as April 2018.
The project is expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete.
All of that is assuming the let date and funding hold, said Jerry Page, DOT Division 4 project development engineer.
Page said he could not recall how many businesses and/or residential properties would be affected by right-of-way acquisition.
With the completion of the new U.S. 70 Bypass, traffic is expected to increase on U.S. 117 -- a road that local and state officials see as a gateway into Goldsboro.
The plan calls for 12-foot-wide inside lanes and 14-foot-wide outside lanes to accommodate bicycle traffic.
It also calls for a 17.6-foot median along U.S. 117 (North William Street) from the U.S. 70 westbound ramp to Tommy's Road to reduce conflict points and improve north-south traffic flow.
Some sections of the median will be grass, while the narrower sections, where turns will be allowed, will be concrete.
Median openings will be installed at select locations along U.S. 117 to accommodate U-turns and left-turning traffic from side streets.
It also realigns the U.S. 117 Alternate/North William Street intersection to reduce conflicting turning movements where there are no signals.
The existing road varies from two to four lanes and is either undivided or features two-way left-turn lanes for the median.
The project is included in the 2016-25 State Transportation Improvement Program.
Once construction gets under way motorists can expect detours and delays.
"Construction is what it is," Page said. "We understand that, and we do everything we can to make sure we continue to provide access to the properties, each driveway and everything, as we go along."
The goal is to improve safety and mobility, the DOT's main priorities, Page said.
The planning is in the "very preliminary" stages and is at the point as to where the road is going and establishing horizontal and vertical road alignments, he said.
Funds have been obligated for the project.
"The purpose of this meeting tonight, it is a public meeting to get comments from the general public," Page said. "That will be anybody, elected officials, property owners, people who use the facility, people who are interested in transportation improvements in this area.
"It is to get their comments and questions and then to look at those comments and answer their questions."
The DOT also will look at the comments to see if any can be incorporated into the project, to tweak it and address any concerns, Page said.
"It is going to be a good project," he said. "It is really going to improve the look of this area. That is one of the things the city of Goldsboro identified -- they see it as one of the gateways to their city."