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News & Updates:Design plansA copy of the design plans, current as of November 2008, can be found at the links below. Please note that the plans are continuing to progress; these plans are not final and are subject to change.
Record of DecisionThe North Carolina Department of Transportation issued the Record of Decision (ROD) for the project in December 2007. This completes the environmental studies for the project. For more News & Updates please visit our archive section. Why is this project necessary?Primary PurposeImprove traffic flow and level of service on US 321 from Blackberry Road to US 221.Without road improvements, the forecast traffic along this section of US 321 will exceed the road’s capacity (and already does in some places), creating undesirable levels of service. The proposed improvement would provide congestion relief. Reduce crash potential on US 321 within Blowing Rock.Without road improvements, high crash rates are expected to continue. The number of crashes will likely rise as traffic volumes continue to rise. Improvements would increase sight distances by straightening curves, thereby providing a new facility with better horizontal and vertical alignments. The improvements would also provide wider lanes, separate lanes for drivers turning left at key locations, and provide drivers with an additional through lane. Furthermore, it is a purpose of the proposed action to achieve the system continuity objectives of the Highway Trust Fund Act. Improvements to US 321 in the project area also are an acknowledgement of the importance of US 321 as a Strategic Corridor. Project Highlights:Environmental Impact StatementsFinal Environmental Impact Statement Draft Environmental Impact Statement Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of AgreementNCDOT worked with the Town Council of Blowing Rock to develop a landscaping and a construction management plan for the preferred alternative that addresses the concerns of residents and businesses about construction traffic in town. The complete list of mitigation agreements was included in a formal Memorandum of Understanding that was approved by the North Carolina Board of Transportation on October 7, 2004, and the Blowing Rock Town Board on October 12, 2004. Additionally, NCDOT recognizes the Green Park Historic District as an important cultural and economic component of the community. NCDOT conducted meetings with the Green Park Inn, Blowing Rock Country Club, and residents of the historic district to develop a plan to mitigate the adverse effects the project may have on the district. This process, which gathered input from interested parties on the historic district mitigation plan, was conducted in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The final product of this process is a Memorandum of Agreement(MOA) between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the State Historic Preservation Office, and the NCDOT. The MOA was finalized and signed by all agencies. Contact Information:
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