Skip to main content

Ground breaks on "New Era of North Carolina Transportation"

Image
By
Dignitaries break ground on the Triangle Expressway

At about 10:35 this morning, the toll road era of North Carolina transportation officially began. The ground breaking for the 18.8 mile Triangle Expressway ushers in a new and controversial era of road construction in the state.

The ground breaking ceremony was held at the current end of NC 540 at NC 55 near Apex.

"This marks a new era in transportation in North Carolina," said NC Department of Transportation Secretary Gene Conti. "With dwindling transportation revenues and more fuel efficient vehicles, the state needed another tool in its toolbox to deliver megaprojects like the Triangle Expressway."

Over 100 people witnessed the beginning of the new era.

U.S. Congressman David Price, who also spoke at the event, said that today's ceremony was an example of "where we've come from and where we're going."

Construction for the first segment of the Triangle Expressway - an extension of NC 147 from Interstate 40 to the Davis Drive Interchange with NC 540 - should begin soon. That section is expected to open in 2011.

The extension of NC 540 to the NC 55 Bypass in Holly Springs still has some land acquisition to be done. However, the road should be open to traffic in 2012.

Both segments are design-build projects. In a design-build project, the design and construction of a project happen simultaneously. Over the past decade, a number of highway projects in North Carolina used this method.

Fellow blogger, Bob Malme was also in attendance and his report on the ceremony is here.

Story Links:
State's first toll highway finally reaches beginning of road ---WRAL-TV w/video
Officials break ground on state's first toll road ---News14Carolina w/video

Photos below - for the entire set - go here.

In three years or so, this will no longer be the last exit on NC 540.

North Carolina Turnpike Authority Executive Director, David W. Joyner, speaks during the ceremony.
U.S. Congressman, David Price (4th District).
NCDOT Secretary Gene Conti:
Labels:

Comments

Bob Malme said…
I took some photos too, but there mainly duplicates of what Adam shot, so I'll spare everyone another look. I was going to take some shots of the existing roadways in the Triangle Parkway corridor before construction starts, but it started to rain, so I'll try again soon.

This was my first roadway groundbreaking and it was quite similar to a couple building groundbreakings I attended at Duke. Even down to the appearance of David Price (he's a Duke professor officially 'on leave'). None of them had bulldozers moving any dirt after the dignitaries, though.
10:09 PM
Georgia Road Geek said…
They should've given you guys a shovel and let you participate. :)
8:17 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tulare Lake returns

By
During the winter of 2023 California experienced one of the wettest seasons in recent decades.  Enough snow and water were deposited into the Sierra Nevada Mountains that the runoff was enough to partially reform Tulare Lake within San Joaquin Valley.  Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River by surface area.  Tulare Lake has been largely dried for the past century due to irrigation divisions and upstream impoundments.  This blog will examine the history of Tulare Lake and its recent return.  Pictured as the blog cover is Tulare Lake from 19th Avenue in Kings County during early May 2023.  Tulare Lake can be seen near its maximum extent below on the 1876 P.Y. Baker Map of Tulare County .   Part 1; the history of Tulare Lake Tulare Lake is the largest remnant of Lake Corcoran.  Lake Corcoran once covered much of the entire Central Valley due to being it being located at a in natural low point from where mountain run-off would accumulate.  Lake Corcoran is thou
1 comment
Read more

Former US Route 101 through Sargent

By
  Sargent is a ghost town and siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad located in southern Santa Clara County.  The original alignment of US Route 101 was aligned through Sargent via what is now known as Old Monterey Road.  Sargent was bypassed gradually due to shifts of the alignment of US Route 101 which occurred during 1941 and 1950.  Pictured as the blog cover is a view on Old Monterey Road which is now no longer accessible to the general public.  Below is a scan of the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Santa Clara County which depicts the original alignment US Route 101 through Sargent.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 in Sargent Sargent lies on land which was once part of Rancho Juristac.  During 1856 James P. Sargent purchased Rancho Juristac and plotted what was known as Sargent Ranch.  By 1869 the Southern Pacific Railroad coast line reached the relocated town site of Gilroy.  The Southern Pacific Railroad coast line would be constructed through Chittenden Pass by 1871 whic
Post a Comment
Read more

California State Route 60/Former US Route 60/70 through the Moreno Valley Badlands west to Riverside

By
This past month I drove California State Route 60 through the Moreno Valley Badlands westward towards the City of Riverside.  CA 60 through the Moreno Valley Badlands was once part of the corridors of US Route 60 and US Route 70. The present route of CA 60 is a 70 mile (76 counting multiplex) slice of former US 60 between downtown Los Angeles east to I-10 near Beaumont.  The vast majority of CA 60 aside from a small section in the Moreno Valley Badlands is presently a freeway grade. For me CA 60 holds some personal history as it was the route I used most frequently accessing work sites in the Inland Empire circa 2011-2013.  Despite what many others probably would say I always really enjoyed the Moreno Valley Badlands portion of CA 60.  Considering I frequently worked on US 60 through Arizona and New Mexico the route holds even more appeal.  I even have a CA 60 shield hanging up in my garage. Part 1; History of Roadways in the Moreno Valley Badlands CA 60 between B
Post a Comment
Read more