NC 218 improvements financing may benefit from some quick thinking

NC 218 has become a 'Monroe Bypass' by default, and as a result the rural Union County highway is starting to show some wear in addition to safety deficiencies. So there's a plan to improve it.

Resurface 30 miles of highway, widen the roadway to 24 feet (from 20-22 feet), build turning lanes at various major intersections (US 601, NC 200 and 205.)

Cost: $15.5 million.

Not a big deal, right? Well, the Charlotte Division of NCDOT (Division 10) is about $14 million short in funds to start the project this year.

So the division's engineer, Barry Moose, came up with the suggestion that some of the funds come from a project to add additional lanes to US 601. Well this proposal didn't sit to well with Monroe City Council. In fact, they passed a resolution against the idea.

Their concern is that the wider US 601 will be needed when the real US 74 Monroe Bypass is built. (which, quite honestly, no one has a clue on when that actually will see the light of day - unfortunately.)

Now normally, this is where my commentary on the situation would begin...but we're not done. By a struck of good fortune and also good management, a Charlotte highway project is going to come close to $10 million under budget. (Cheers to Mr. Moose and Division 10. With construction costs as they are...and the state of highway financing within NC...finishing a project $10 million under budget is a great accomplishment.) The $10 million covers nearly 2/3rds of the cost for the NC 218 improvements.

Mr. Moose would get the remainder of the funds from pushing back a rural project in Anson County that has been lowered in the region's priority list.

The Charlotte Region's Planning Organization (Mecklenburg-Union Metropolitan Planning Organization (MUMPO) is scheduled to review Moose's suggestion later this month. This plan has the support of the Monroe City Council...as long as they still keep widening US 601 on track.

Story: Charlotte Observer

Comments

The 1915-era Teilman Bridge (the only known Concrete Pony Truss Bridge in California)

The Teilman Bridge is a semi-abandoned structure over Fresno Slough west of Burrell siding near the intersection of Elkhorn Avenue and Elkhorn Grade. This structure is the only known Concrete Pony Truss Bridge constructed in California and was designed by Ingvart Teilman. Teilman's Bridge would open in late 1915 when the Elkhorn Grade was the primary road between Fresno and Coalinga. The structure would be replaced in 1991 but was left standing as it carries pipelines over Fresno Slough. Part 1; the history of the Teilman Bridge In the early Twentieth Century the most direct highway between Fresno and Coalinga followed the Elkhorn Grade. The Elkhorn Grade began at Fresno Slough a short distance west of Burrell siding. From Fresno Slough the Elkhorn Grade followed a generally southwestern course through San Joaquin Valley into the Kettleman Hills towards Coalinga. The Elkhorn Grade can be seen on the 1914 C.F. Weber map of Fresno Coun...

The Dummy Lights of New York

A relic of the early days of motoring, dummy lights were traffic lights that were placed in the middle of a street intersection. In those early days, traffic shuffled through busy intersections with the help of a police officer who stood on top of a pedestal. As technology improved and electric traffic signals became commonplace, they were also originally positioned on a platform at the center of the intersection. Those traffic signals became known as " dummy lights " and were common until traffic lights were moved onto wires and poles that crossed above the intersection. In New York State, only a handful of these dummy lights exist. The dummy lights are found in the Hudson Valley towns of Beacon and Croton-on-Hudson, plus there is an ongoing tug of war in Canajoharie in the Mohawk Valley, where their dummy light has been knocked down and replaced a few times. The dummy light in Canajoharie is currently...

Prunedale Road (Monterey County)

Prunedale Road is a short 2.6-mile-long frontage corridor of US Route 101 in the namesake Monterey County community of Prunedale. Prior to 1932 US Route 101 bypassed Prunedale in favor of the San Juan Grade to the east. Prunedale Road along with nearby Moro Road served as an alternative connecting highway between Salinas and San Juan Bautista. Following the realignment of US Route 101 onto the Prunedale Cutoff the former through route along Prunedale Road would be rendered as a western frontage. Part 1; the history of Prunedale Road Prunedale Road is located in and is named after the Monterey County community of Prunedale. Said community was founded near the junction of San Migeul Canyon, Langley Canyon and Echo Valley. Watsonville settler Charles Langley (namesake of Langley Canyon) was one of the prominent early community settlers. The Prunedale Post Office would open for the first time in 1894 but would close by 1908. Early agricu...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog