Remarks for Secretary Lyndo Tippett
Highway 17 Association Annual Luncheon
Monday, Jan. 22, 2007 at Noon
New Bern Riverfront Convention Center
Introduction
Thank you, Cam.
Cam does an excellent job representing eastern North Carolina on the Board of Transportation along with his counterparts Marvin Blount, Lanny Wilson, Louis Sewell and Stan White.
As you all know, these men call this region home and they work tirelessly to help meet the transportation priorities of your communities.
I'd also like to recognize our division engineers and the many other transportation advocates joining us here today. Thank you for your tremendous support of U.S. 17 and transportation improvements throughout the state.
I especially want to thank Marc, Zoph ("ZOAF") and the rest of the U.S. 17 Association for your ongoing dedication to improving this highway. Your partnership is much of the reason we continue to make progress along this corridor.
NCDOT Challenges and Support for U.S. 17 Corridor
NCDOT is also putting as many resources as it can toward U.S. 17. However, as you all know, our department is facing challenging financial times, mostly as a result of tremendous growth in our state, double-digit construction inflation and decreased funding at the federal level.
While we are still moving forward with many transportation improvements, this also means that we must go to great lengths to ensure that we are prioritizing projects and making the most of our existing resources.
We also face some unique environmental challenges in the eastern part of the state, and we must work closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other regulatory agencies to protect streams and wetlands. Also, as you know, U.S. 17 passes through the Croatan National Forest, which requires additional coordination with the U.S. Forest Service.
The highway is also located near historic resources, including the Foscoe Plantation in Jones County, and there are also minority communities along the route such as those near the future section of the Wilmington Bypass and near Pollocksville. NCDOT has worked to make sure that the alignments selected for sections of U.S. 17 on new location minimize impacts and are acceptable to the affected parties.
All of these factors combine to make the job of improving Highway 17 much more difficult than it appears at first glance, and they make our partnership to upgrade this route even more important.
Even with these challenges, there is plenty of good news for U.S. 17. As you know, we currently have several measures in place to bolster support for this highway.
First, its designation as a strategic highway corridor means that U.S. 17 will remain a priority for the department because of the vital role it plays in regional and statewide mobility.
Second, we are working toward the ultimate goal of upgrading the entire U.S. 17 corridor by widening the remaining two-lane sections and improving the existing four-lane sections. This includes the addition of several "superstreet" links in Brunswick and New Hanover counties.
And as we mentioned last year, our Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch has been restructured into regional units, which allows us to better focus our project management in each part of the state.
Most of you know the head of our eastern unit, Rob Hanson, who regrets that he could not join us today due to a scheduling conflict. Rob and his unit work hard overseeing projects like U.S. 17. They certainly don't have an easy job, and we thank them for their many efforts.
Additionally, the N.C. Board of Transportation U.S. 17 Committee, made up of the board members from the eastern highway divisions, continues to meet on a quarterly basis to discuss progress along the route and facilitate oversight of the various projects.
This board involvement and support is integral to our efforts along U.S. 17.
Much of our work over the past year has focused on completing sections of bypasses around major cities, including Wilmington and Jacksonville, and I also want to acknowledge the hard work of our engineers and contractors in Division 3 to complete these projects and open them to traffic.
The Wilmington Bypass (R-2633)
In Wilmington, we opened a new section of the U.S. 17 Bypass from N.C. 133 to U.S. 421 last June, just in time for the July 4th holiday.
At the same time we also opened a second section, which runs about five miles between I-40 and U.S. 17 north of Wilmington in Porter's Neck.
We are also moving forward with the remaining sections of the Wilmington Bypass, from U.S. 421 to U.S. 74/76, and 74/76 to N.C. 87.
The final environmental impact statement for this stretch is expected in February, with the record of decision in April.
Right now, right-of-way acquisition on both sections is scheduled for 2008. Construction from U.S. 421 to U.S. 74/76 is currently scheduled for 2011, and construction from U.S. 74/76 to N.C. 87 remains unfunded.
As I mentioned, our staff has worked closely with minority communities located near these future sections to help minimize the highway's impact, and we will continue to incorporate extensive citizen involvement as these projects move forward.
U.S. 17 Hampstead Bypass (R-3300)
Intersecting the Wilmington Bypass is the future Hampstead Bypass, which will run about 14 miles to U.S. 17 north of Hampstead.
We are currently examining the alternatives for this project and anticipate presenting them to the NEPA/404 Merger Team in February. A citizens' informational workshop on the project is planned for April.
We also aim to have the state draft environmental impact statement for the bypass in December 2008 and the state final EIS in November 2009. Right-of-way acquisition is scheduled to begin in 2012.
The Jacksonville Bypass (U-4107)
Moving north, we also completed another section of the Jacksonville Bypass in Onslow County last month, running from N.C. 24 to existing U.S. 17.
This stretch of highway was recently named for Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King Jr.
The first section of the bypass, from N.C. 24 west of Jacksonville to N.C. 24 east of town, was completed in December 2005.
The bypass now stretches about seven miles at a total construction cost of about $111 million.
Jacksonville Bypass to Drummer Kellum Road (U-4007)
We are also moving forward with improvements to the stretch of U.S. 17 from the Jacksonville Bypass to Drummer Kellum Road.
The environmental assessment for this section was completed in October, and we expect the finding of no significant impact this coming May. Right-of-way acquisition is currently scheduled to begin in federal fiscal year 2009.
Widening of the White Street Extension, as well as Country Club Road to Western Boulevard is scheduled for federal fiscal year 2011. Widening from Western Boulevard to Fairway Drive and from Fairway Drive to Drummer Kellum Road is currently unfunded.
U.S. 17 Jacksonville to Belgrade (R-2514A)
North of the Jacksonville Bypass, construction is currently under way to widen U.S. 17 to south of Belgrade. This project is expected to be complete this summer.
U.S. 17 Belgrade to New Bern Bypass (R-2514 B, C & D)
We are also moving forward with plans to widen U.S. 17 from Belgrade to the New Bern Bypass.
As most of you know, we have faced a number of challenges along this stretch, including efforts to minimize impacts to the Foscue Farm and Plantation and minority communities in Jones County. We have also had to contend with wetlands and stream issues. In addition, we have worked to upgrade the design of this project to freeway standards in accordance with the Strategic Corridors vision.
We have dealt effectively with these issues and expect to select a corridor that runs from south of Belgrade to north of Maysville within the next few months, and a corridor for the section north of N.C. 58 to the New Bern Bypass this summer.
We expect to have this project's final EIS ready by March 2008 and a record of decision in July of that year. Right-of-way acquisition on the sections from south of Belgrade to N.C. 58 is scheduled for state fiscal year 2010 with construction in 2012. The section from N.C. 58 to the New Bern Bypass is scheduled to begin right-of-way acquisition in 2012 with construction scheduled for post years (after 2012).
U.S. 17 New Bern Bypass (R-2301)
That brings us to the New Bern Bypass itself.
Right-of-way acquisition on Section A of this project, which runs from U.S. 17 south of New Bern to U.S. 70, began in July 2006. Construction is currently scheduled to begin in state fiscal year 2009. Section B, from U.S. 70 back to U.S. 17, remains unfunded.
We have also worked extensively with the public on this project, making revisions to an overpass to alleviate citizens' concerns.
U.S. 17 from Mills Street in Bridgeton to N.C. 43 (R-3403)
We are also making progress on a portion of the current U.S. 17 in Craven County that will be designated as U.S. 17 Business once the New Bern Bypass is complete.
Right-of-way acquisition from Mills Street to Antioch Road began in March 2005 and was just completed. Construction on this stretch is currently scheduled to begin in federal fiscal year 2008.
U.S. 17 Washington Bypass (R-2510)
The next section of U.S. 17 on which we are making significant progress is the Washington Bypass. The project is design-build, which means that all phases of the project are being completed under a single contract to save both time and money. Work on Section B of the bypass from Price Road to U.S. 17 north of Springs Road is currently under way, and construction is scheduled to begin in March. The estimated completion date for this section is late 2010.
Right-of-way acquisition began on Section A, which runs from south of Possum Track Road to south of Price Road, in March 2005 and construction is currently scheduled to begin in federal fiscal year 2008.
Section C, from U.S. 17 north of Springs Road to north of N.C. 171 is currently unfunded, although right-of-way plans have been prepared.
U.S. 17 Windsor Bypass (R-2404A)
That brings us to our northernmost project under way on the U.S. 17 corridor, the Windsor Bypass.
Like the Washington Bypass, this is also a design-build project.
Completion of this project around the town of Windsor in Bertie County is anticipated in Fall 2008.
Conclusion
As you can see, though we still have a ways to go, we are making significant progress on U.S. 17 in North Carolina. We've achieved some major milestones this year, and I hope to return with even more good news next year.
Most importantly, however, I want to thank all of you again for your support of our efforts to complete these projects and move forward in the face of multiple challenges. The progress we celebrate today is the direct result of your dedication to serving eastern North Carolina and meeting the region's transportation needs.
I appreciate the invitation to be here today and your ongoing partnership.