Gribblenation

The Charlotte Observer reports that Governor Beverly Perdue will announce a funding solution that will allow I-485 to be completed sooner. The funding plan, which has never been used before in NC, will be revealed tomorrow at 11. The only details made available is that it won't take money away from the Independence Blvd. widening project nor any other loop project in the state. Commentary: Anyone have a clue what kind of funding this will be? Tolling, can't be that....it'll be a world of trouble on many levels. Using stimulus funds - well maybe - but if it is for any of the special financing that the state is petitioning the government to build a new I-85 Yadkin River Bridge, that'll be trouble. I really don't know what options she has available considering the state is pretty much running in a deficit. Should be interesting to hear what the 'plan' is.

The Lake Wylie Pilot reports that the North Carolina Turnpike Authority will release the routing of the preferred alternative for the Garden Parkway the week of November 16 th . It will be interesting to hear what proponents and opponents of the Garden Parkway has to say. Interestingly, one of the websites supporting the construction of the Garden Parkway - buildthegardenparkway .com is now defunct.

The opponents of the proposed NCTA Garden Parkway in Gaston County are pointing to what they consider a better - and cheaper - option for the area, light rail. A recent study by the city of Gastonia on light rail from the Gaston County seat to Charlotte has caught the attention of the group 'Stop the Toll Road'. The $35,000 study took place this past summer, and as a result, it has added a new dimension into the debate on whether or not the over $1 billion toll road should be built. The study estimates it would cost between $250-300 million to convert 22 miles of the former Piedmont & Northern Railway into light rail. Trains last ran along the tracks in 1991. Today, most of the right-of-way is owned by the NC Rail Division; however, it has been slowly converted into a greenway . The P&N ran numerous passenger and freight trains between Gastonia and Charlotte in the early 20 th Century. The route would include eastern Gaston towns: Ranlo , Lowell, McAdenville ,...

Last week, the Virginia Department of Transportation released a preliminary impact study on an alternate route for Interstate 73 through Henry County. The route, which moves I-73 closer to Martinsville , was suggested to VDOT by the Henry County Board of Supervisors nearly two years ago. The board suggested the route for quicker and closer access to the Patriot Centre at Beaver Creek, Martinsville industrial parks, and Martinsville Speedway. The alternate route would consist of eight Martinsville area exits compared to six interchanges on the preferred alternative. The preferred alternative was approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board ( CTB ) in 2004. The alternate plans would add 1.8 miles to the route and cost more. A result of the added length and additional interchanges. Though no current businesses would be impacted by the suggested alternative; it does impact more residences. And while the HCBoS route has less impact to wetlands and stream crossings; it has gr...

Editors Note: October 27, 2024 - An update version of this post titled, " Interstate 40's Tumultuous Ride Through the Pigeon River Gorge " is now available. The Asheville Citizen-Times continues to do a great job covering all the angles of the Interstate 40 Haywood County rock slide. An article in Sunday's edition provides a strong historical perspective on how the Pigeon River routing of Interstate 40 came about. And perhaps most strikingly, in an article that ran just prior to the highway's opening in the fall of 1968, how engineers from both Tennessee and North Carolina warned "...that slides would probably be a major problem along the route for many years." On February 12, 1969, not long after the Interstate opened, the first rock slide that would close I-40 occurred. Like many other Interstates within North Carolina, Interstate 40 through the mountains has a history prior to formation of the Interstate Highway System and was also a heated politi...

The reorganization of Massachusetts transportation agencies officially took effect November 1. While much of the reorganization is going to happen over the next few months, changes have begun on the web. The most obvious is that if you click on what was the MassHighway web site: You now see this logo at the top: The logo of the newly created Massachusetts Department of Transportation. MassDOT absorbs most of the separate transportation agencies that includes MassHighway, the Mass Turnpike Authority, the parkways controlled by the former MDC (DCR), and the Tobin Bridge run by the Mass Port Authority (as of 1/1/10). The agency will consist of four new transportation divisions (Highway, Rail & Transit, Aeronautics and Registry of Motor Vehicles) all will report to the Secretary of Transportation who will make decisions with the MassDOT Transportation Board. You can access the new web site HERE. It includes a blog that explains all the changes in more details, Go To Blog. The blog has ...

The last full day in Texas was spent in San Antonio. Out first stop was Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery where Maggie's grandfather is buried. It's amazing how tranquil a location it is amidst all the base activity that surrounds it. Over 120,000 lay in eternal rest there. It is an extremely powerful site. For the entire set from San Antonio (nearly 100 photos), go here . From there it was into downtown San Antonio. We arrived just prior to 11, so we were unable to check in though we did leave our car at the hotel. Obviously, the first stop in San Antonio is always The Alamo. It is correct that the building itself isn't as massive as you'd think, but take the time to walk the grounds and taken in the exhibits and you'll really begin to understand how the siege and battle at The Alamo is the powerful symbol for all of Texas as it still is today. To first time visitor's, the smaller skyline of San Antonio maybe come as a surprise. But when you ta...