From
left, Rivercrest
subdivision residents
Todd and Melissa
True, Tyler Blethen
and Tommy Ginn
inspect a Department
of Transportation
map showing proposed
alternatives for
a new two-lane
road from N.C.
107 to N.C. 116
onto the Southwestern
Community College
Campus. NCDOT
held a public
meeting on the
proposed project
in SCC’s
Myers Auditorium
Tuesday, April
8, where officials
met informally
with residents.
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Those attending were able
to vote and comment on the
three alternatives which were
1) Construct a 2-lane roadway
with bridge over N.C. 107
and access ramps for N.C.
107 southbound and northbound;
2) Construct a 2-lane roadway
and realign Evans Road to
a proposed intersection 200
feet south of current intersection.
The intersection of N.C. 107
and Evans Road/New Connector
Road would be controlled with
a traffic signal; 3) Construct
a 2-lane roadway with bridge
over N.C. 107 and two-way
access ramp for N.C. 107 southbound
and northbound. The intersection
of Connector Road Ramp and
N.C 107 would be controlled
with a traffic signal.
The length of the project
is 0.7 miles, with an estimated
cost of $6,635,000. The
purpose of the proposed
project is to improve traffic
flow and reduce congestion,
according to Paul White,
DOT project engineer.
SCC officials, like President
Cecil Groves and project
manager George Stanley,
were also on hand to discuss
the project and answer questions.
“Southwestern Community
College requested this connector
road,” Stanley said.
“The Department of
Transportation saw the benefit
to not only the college
but the motoring public
as well. The completion
of this connector road will
have many benefits.”
Currently, the campus now
has only one way in or out.
Stanley said if an emergency
situation arose, emergency
vehicles could become bottlenecked
and not be able to rapidly
respond.
During special events when
the campus could have several
hundred guests traffic management
can be extremely difficult,
Stanley added. “With
the connector road, traffic
could be better managed.
The example here is Webster/Macon
County traffic could be
directed out the current
college entrance onto Highway
116 West. Sylva/Swain County
/ Haywood County traffic
could be directed out the
western most point of entry
on the connector road onto
Highway 116 East and Cullowhee
/ Cashiers traffic could
be directed out the eastern
most point of entry onto
Highway 107 South.”
Creating a loop through
and around campus also makes
it easier for student movement,
Stanley said. |
