Orderly Growth Is Up to Community
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I am writing in response to Mayor Nancy Fiorillo’s op-ed, “State Pushes Highway Widening for Wrong Reasons” (Sept. 19).
Mayor Fiorillo suggests that the main reasons for improving U.S. 1 through Moore County are for Fort Bragg security and as an evacuation route for the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant in Wake County. U.S. 1 is on the state’s Strategic Highway Corridors network as a key north-south route through the state, and as such, it could serve as an evacuation route in emergencies.
But that’s not the main reason for upgrades in Moore County. The key goals are safety and mobility. The three-mile segment of U.S. 1 through Southern Pines and Aberdeen is a five-lane highway through a fast developing commercial area, with center turn lanes, numerous traffic signal intersections, commercial access driveways on both sides, and heavy peak-hour congestion. That configuration, especially at high traffic volumes, is inherently dangerous. Current traffic approaches 40,000 vehicles per day.
U.S. 1 is being studied as part of Moore County’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan, a blueprint for growth through the year 2040. Currently, the county has no long-range transportation plan to address future traffic. Without such a plan, the county will find it difficult to compete on a statewide level for larger transportation improvements.
NCDOT is helping prepare the comprehensive plan at Moore County’s request, in coordination with the region’s Rural Planning Organization and with extensive citizen input. Contrary to Mayor Fiorillo’s assertion, DOT will not impose a U.S. 1 solution that is strongly opposed by the local community. In fact, we look to the community to come up with a solution that we can help implement.
We welcome constructive suggestions from her and all other citizens who care about orderly growth, safety and mobility for Moore County’s future.
Ted Vaden
Deputy Secretary
N.C. Department of Transportation
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Comments
irishman 7 months, 3 weeks ago
I don't think I have ever seen such a condesening letter from a state employee to a newspaper! Under whose direction was this made? An undersecretary of the DOT has the authority to challenge a sitting elected official? I hope we have a new Governor so Mr. Vaden can be relegated to operating a shovel at the NCDOT!
DaveyNC 7 months, 3 weeks ago
This is what is known as the "Gloved Fist": "Without such a plan, the county will find it difficult to compete on a statewide level for larger transportation improvements."
Moore Countians, you've just been threatened. Comply or die.
Mr. Vaden, nothing wrong with a long range plan, but we could've done without the veiled threat. And we don't really think that you all are all that interested in local input. Convince us otherwise.
LSM 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Two excellent comments above, and would only desire to add that thousands of property tax dollars would be taken forever away from Moore County by building this road, along with the loss of homes and land. And for what?
CSmithson 7 months, 3 weeks ago
This explanation does not cut it. Yes, US-1 is busy but THIS decision by the DOT to put in a bypass(freeway) was made in a vacuum with no traffic studies done to verify that a bypass will do anything substantial or long term affecting the current route and existing traffic, much less future growth.
I have been to many transportation committee meetings over the last couple of years. The question asked DOT has never really been, "how can we make the already-overburdened US-1 safer for current and future traffic?" It has always been closer to, "where do you want your freeway?" When I have asked pointed questions about the "need" for a bypass that takes someone from south of Pinebluff to somewhere near Vass, the response always seems to revolve around all this magical traffic and the need for them to get through without having to slow down any.
According to Partners in Progress, our local economic development entity, in 2010, 17,337 people lived AND worked in Moore County while 27,885 either commute into or out of Moore to work. This should make it obvious that almost all the traffic on our highways is local in origin and/or destination and not people driving through. It would seem that our transportation dollars could be best spent by fixing issues no bypass will solve instead of building roads almost nobody will use.
geoffcutler 7 months, 3 weeks ago
"This should make it obvious that almost all the traffic on our highways is local in origin and/or destination and not people driving through." C.Smithson
Which is probably because there is already a bypass. It's called 95. Good point, Chris.
bigD 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Chris and Geoff- Just a couple devils advocate questions for ya
If all traffic is local then how will the bypass hurt local commerce?
The good people of Sanford could have made this same argument but travel to Raleigh from Moore Cty has been made easier with the Sanfors bypass. Could points south of Moore benefit from the bypass like we have from the Sanford bypass?
Geoff- I-95 is an hour east of here. Is this really a good example?
CSmithson 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Derek,
I have never been that concerned about the direct effect on local commerce because I believe there is very little "through" traffic to be siphoned away. That said, unless local elected officials start growing spines, I could see the approval of new business areas at interchanges along any new bypass in the county. This could affect local businesses to some degree, but I don't see "hamburger alley" going anywhere.
We're talking about a "three mile segment" of US-1 that has issues. A LOT of money needs to be spent dealing with the situation even if a bypass is built. Even at rush hour, is avoiding the brief delays on this fairly short segment worth the monumental monetary, environmental, and personal costs of a superhighway-type bypass that very few will use?
If they insist on building a bypass, they could put it inside and along the edge of Ft Bragg. They won't have to wreck Horse Country, Highland Trails, and Aberdeen to do it. Plus, it will largely be on land the government already owns, so the condemnation of homes and recreational areas will be reduced. There's also already a road there that could at least in part be improved. Finally, if it's on Bragg, I bet the Army won't let them put up gas stations and fast food joints along the new road.
bigD 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Thanks for the well though out answer.
geoffcutler 7 months, 3 weeks ago
If Chris's point is correct, that our road usage is local and commuter, than I don't suppose it matters if 95 was three hours away. Those on it... are on their way somewhere else, and thus, bypassing us..
bigD 7 months, 2 weeks ago
It would be nice if we had a bypass from here to I-95
geoffcutler 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Four lanes to our north, four to our south. About 5 minutes, except at rush hour, from the top of Aberdeen to the bottom. I just can't see why we need any kind of bypass for that, and since we are already being bypassed. What's the rush?
cooldaddy 7 months, 2 weeks ago
More important than anything here is the tone of the letter and the self appointed authority he he must have taken or been given from the King of whatever. The Mayor is an ELECTED official. Like her opinion or not, right or not, she is the choice of the people of that town. Vaden is not elected...he was selected and he is on the payroll. NO government employee has the right to write a letter in open to a public official that is belittling. In Government, everyone has a boss. I hope he is chopped down to size quick.
Toda 7 months, 2 weeks ago
"Currently, the county has no long-range transportation plan to address future traffic." According to The Moore County Website:
The Moore County Transportation Committee (MCTC) was established to review all transportation matters within Moore County. The Committee is also responsible for developing the Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The Committee is composed of citizen members appointed individually by each of the Moore County Board of Commissioners, one municipal representative and one alternate member appointed from each jurisdiction, including the communities of Seven Lakes and Woodlake.
coffecreme 7 months, 2 weeks ago
I am not sure why his letter in response to Filorillo's is considered condescending? Whether you agree with the bypass or not, I just think he was explaining the NCDOT position. At this point I am not sure I like the idea of a bypass or not. Mayor Fiorillo wrote and op-ed which was responded to by Ted Vaden. Is there a rule against such responses?
drefleury 7 months, 2 weeks ago
This letter from DOT is so typical of the small-minded approach they have taken to infrastructure in NC. They cite traffic, evacuation, and safety as reasons for a bypass. If you look at a map of the state, and you really want a bypass to get people away from a nuclear meltdown, a straight line is the shortest distance to take. Instead, they piecemeal together roads and properties to make a big arcing "S" shape for the US 1 corridor. Bypassing a few miles of Southern Pines and Aberdeen will make ne'er a bit of difference if everyone south of the power plant are trying to evacuate. Then, if safety and traffic are equally concerning to DOT, why not try some public transportation options instead of spending who knows how many millions on a 6-8 lane highway system? Moore county is waaaaay behind on public transportation, and for a tiny fraction of the cost, you could reduce the sprawl effect of commercial development while maintaining channels of commerce for local businesses... Do we really think that the strip mall approach to commercial development is sustainable? We need more walkable, planned shopping areas with connecting green spaces for the local community, tourists, and transplants. This is why downtown SP, Pinehurst and Aberdeen are so vibrant, they are easily walkable, and foster community...
CSmithson 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Tommy,
That list on the County website is a little off as far as the actual membership, but Jimmy and Nick are indeed participants. Jimmy chairs the committee.
I'll have to go back to get the exact date, but I believe the MCTC has been around for about two years. Far from being asleep at the wheel, we have had many meetings and public forums.
If there is a reason no plan is in place yet, it is because the NCDOT keeps restarting the process every time the people of Moore County speak loudly and clearly in rejection of the DOT's planned bypass through Horse Country, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen. This is the second time we (I am the SP alternate representative on the committee) have been stopped in just the last two years. Previous planning efforts earlier than two years ago have also been stopped by NCDOT when they didn't get the answers they wanted on the bypass question
It appears that in order for a bypass project to make it onto DOT's list, it has to be part of an adopted Comprehensive Transportation Plan for the County. In other words, Moore County has to ASK for the bypass. Apparently, so long as we are in good faith working with NCDOT to come up with a plan, they can't just put the bypass on the list (or at least do so very easily). So, what they seem to be doing is to try everything in the book to force us or talk us into asking for it and on the route they want it.
We've heard all manner of things such as the national security and nuclear evacuation issues Nancy mentioned.Other times, they have tried to frame the "problem" in a way that there can only be one "solution" possible.
NCDOT won't even let us move forward on the other issues we are supposed to tackle until we get the US-1 question answered. Other items on our list include 24/27 widening and bypassing around Carthage and Cameron, 211 bypass of West End, and the Pinehurst Bypass ("Western Connector").
We're sneaking up on a year since hundreds of people attended planning charettes in which they told NCDOT they did not want a bypass to go where DOT wants to put it and also gave a number of alternatives to routing one as well as an option to improve it in place. They have yet to release the full results of the charettes even though they were promised for this past February.
emb6683 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Why would Ft Bragg give up any land for a bypass that has absolutely no benefit to the Army? They are already short thousands of acres of training land. On the contrary, they are acquiring land bordering the resevation, through partnerships, to limit further encroachment of the already limited training areas.
Bragg is giving up land around the main post area to build the Fayetteville bypass, I-295, but that is not training land and there is a clear benefit - it gives direct access to I-95 north and south for various purposes. And anything that helps you bypass Fayetteville is a good thing.
geoffcutler 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Charettes? You mean Charades?
CSmithson 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Some people are only considering the bypass' impacts on Horse Country properties. Let's not forget that the proposed route merely STARTS in Horse Country. A quick visit to Moore County's GIS site or a map will show anyone that if the bypass were to stay off Bragg property and stay just inside Moore County, we are looking at a minimum of 50-60 homes that would have to come down just in the Highland Trails area. Many more would be significantly impacted by having a new freeway in their back yards.
What DOT wants is to first come up with routing so the first step of the process-"Corridor Protection"- can begin. They don't buy up all the property when you decide on a route. That's actually one of the last steps. Meanwhile, homeowners within the corridor are living in limbo for many years knowing that their homes will be torn down for a road. How easy will it be for a homeowner to sell, much less get a reasonable price on a home sitting on death row? What of the tens of millions of dollars of property stricken from the tax base? What of the value of properties not condemned but devalued by a new road in the back yard? What about the legal costs of property owners fighting the process the whole way?
On the other hand, what if the road were largely built on land the government already owns? Sure, a few woodpeckers might sue, but miles of right of way could be acquired for absolutely nothing.
drefleury 7 months, 2 weeks ago
@CSmithson - I think one problem with your suggestion is that the "Government" who owns the Fort Bragg property is the US Gov't., whereas the DOT is the state... If they could work that out, your idea might grow legs. That doesn't really solve the problem though, because you still have to tie in to US 1 downstream, so you're still going to affect plenty of home/landowners. Again, the emphasis does not need to be on expanding roads, but on reducing the need for cars in the first place. There could be simple solutions provided for the existing road surface to increase safety and reduce collisions by creating a frontage road, for example. That way, evacuations proceed in an orderly fashion, but my goodness, if we get there, we're in real trouble.
CSmithson 7 months, 2 weeks ago
@drefluery Clearly they are different levels of government but in the end the "government" needs to remember that their property is ours in the end.
There's no way to avoid impact on private property, but there are ways to lessen it. One way would be to avoid running a freeway through a dense subdivision, which is what they would have to do if they were to take the route they have always proposed. Once the bypass got to the area of 211 and the county line, the properties between there and US-1 are much larger and much less densely populated. Just on sheer numbers of people and homes, the route has less impact at that point.
I don't agree with the "need" for a bypass, but an eastern one on the reservation ("free" land and less existing development) or a western one (less current development but closer to future growth) west of Pinehurst sound like better alternatives if we are forced to take one and choose a route.
A great way to reduce the need for cars is to plan better and allow people to live closer to where they work. It is interesting that just this year, Partners in Progress changed their long-standing tune and is now in the business of recruiting retail growth here. People talk about all the "jobs" this retail growth will bring, but something like a big outlet mall is not going to make everything better for Moore County. It will mean that many more people will be driving in from neighboring counties to work in the low paying chain retail and service positions created. It will mean more traffic. We've always had plenty of low paying retail and service jobs around here for pretty much anyone living in Moore County who wants one. I'm told at least one chain restaurant chose not to come here because they could not find enough satisfactory help.
Do we really want to compete head-to-head with Fayetteville? Must we re-create Skibo Rd and Bragg Blvd here to make "progress?" No thanks.
drefleury 7 months, 2 weeks ago
@CSmithson - I completely agree with you on several points. And yes, if there is a bypass, west would certainly impact existing homes less. The farther you "zoom" out on a map, you can see that it doesn't add any value to go east as opposed to west. In any event, yes, we need more planned walking communities, and it would be so easy to have a bus route go on a big route from SP toPinehurst, to Aberdeen if we actually had commercial areas that were walkable in all those places. Add in a shuttle to the airport, and you have the beginning to a public transportation system. Heck, send one to Fayetteville mall too!