Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
U.S. 17 improvements granted federal funds
Bridge over Tar River 50 percent complete
By DAN PARSONS
Staff Writer
North Carolina’s Congressional Delegation has netted more than $300,000 from the federal government for the improvement of U.S. Highway 17 through Beaufort County.
The U.S. Department of Transportation had approved a grant for $338,468 that will go toward paying for the 16-mile U.S. 17 Washington Bypass project currently under construction. The announcement was made Wednesday by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who is facing her first re-election campaign.
“Investing in our state’s highways is critical for maintaining safety and promoting economic development,” said Dole. “As Highway 17 is the only major north-south corridor in our eastern counties, I have been pleased to advocate for funding for its improvements.”
The sum was whittled down from a $2 million funding request made to the federal government this year, according to Marc Finlayson, executive director of the Highway 17 Association, a group that advocates for the highway to be four lanes through North Carolina.
“The figure represents about one-tenth of 1 percent of the $300 million cost of the projects (in Beaufort County),” Finlayson said Wednesday. “It’s a very small amount but we are not in a position to decline any extra funding offered to us. We are delighted with the gesture and its symbolic nature by our Congressional Delegation.”
The three-part project carries a price tag of $240 million. While the grant doesn’t come close to covering that cost, Neil Lassiter, a district engineer with the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Greenville office, said it would help.
“It’s certainly not enough money to start its own project,” he said Wednesday. “It will go toward the cost of the projects ... the two sections that are under construction.”
Those two sections are the bridge being built over the Tar River west of Washington — called section “B” — and a section that stretches south of Washington from Chocowinity to Possum Track Road — or section “A.” Section “C,” widening the section of U.S. 17 between Washington and Old Ford, will be let out for bids in Nov. 2009, according to N.C. DOT officials.
The bridge, scheduled for completion in November 2010, is about half done, Ed Eatmon, division construction engineer with N.C. DOT, said. That project, which is progressing simultaneously northward from Chocowinity and southward from Washington, represents the bulk of the project cost — about $220 million, according to Eatmon.
Section B, scheduled to be finished in September 2010, is about 10 percent complete, Eatmon said.
“Both sections are running right on schedule,” he said.
The three sections that comprise the Washington Bypass are fully funded, according to Finlayson. Money to purchase land to four-lane the section of highway between Old Ford and Williamston has been acquired but $35 million to cover construction costs on that section has yet to be funded, he said.
The final section of U.S. 17 in Beaufort County that to be four laned is the section between Possum Track Road and Vanceboro, which is neither on the Transportation Improvement Program or funded, according to Finlayson. Portions of the highway in Craven County did receive funding from the federal government to fund their improvement this year, Finlayson said.
Another funding request has been made to the federal government for the next fiscal year that began Tuesday, Finlayson said.
“We’re doing everything we can for the (U.S. 17) corridor,” Finlayson said.
By DAN PARSONS
Staff Writer
North Carolina’s Congressional Delegation has netted more than $300,000 from the federal government for the improvement of U.S. Highway 17 through Beaufort County.
The U.S. Department of Transportation had approved a grant for $338,468 that will go toward paying for the 16-mile U.S. 17 Washington Bypass project currently under construction. The announcement was made Wednesday by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who is facing her first re-election campaign.
“Investing in our state’s highways is critical for maintaining safety and promoting economic development,” said Dole. “As Highway 17 is the only major north-south corridor in our eastern counties, I have been pleased to advocate for funding for its improvements.”
The sum was whittled down from a $2 million funding request made to the federal government this year, according to Marc Finlayson, executive director of the Highway 17 Association, a group that advocates for the highway to be four lanes through North Carolina.
“The figure represents about one-tenth of 1 percent of the $300 million cost of the projects (in Beaufort County),” Finlayson said Wednesday. “It’s a very small amount but we are not in a position to decline any extra funding offered to us. We are delighted with the gesture and its symbolic nature by our Congressional Delegation.”
The three-part project carries a price tag of $240 million. While the grant doesn’t come close to covering that cost, Neil Lassiter, a district engineer with the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Greenville office, said it would help.
“It’s certainly not enough money to start its own project,” he said Wednesday. “It will go toward the cost of the projects ... the two sections that are under construction.”
Those two sections are the bridge being built over the Tar River west of Washington — called section “B” — and a section that stretches south of Washington from Chocowinity to Possum Track Road — or section “A.” Section “C,” widening the section of U.S. 17 between Washington and Old Ford, will be let out for bids in Nov. 2009, according to N.C. DOT officials.
The bridge, scheduled for completion in November 2010, is about half done, Ed Eatmon, division construction engineer with N.C. DOT, said. That project, which is progressing simultaneously northward from Chocowinity and southward from Washington, represents the bulk of the project cost — about $220 million, according to Eatmon.
Section B, scheduled to be finished in September 2010, is about 10 percent complete, Eatmon said.
“Both sections are running right on schedule,” he said.
The three sections that comprise the Washington Bypass are fully funded, according to Finlayson. Money to purchase land to four-lane the section of highway between Old Ford and Williamston has been acquired but $35 million to cover construction costs on that section has yet to be funded, he said.
The final section of U.S. 17 in Beaufort County that to be four laned is the section between Possum Track Road and Vanceboro, which is neither on the Transportation Improvement Program or funded, according to Finlayson. Portions of the highway in Craven County did receive funding from the federal government to fund their improvement this year, Finlayson said.
Another funding request has been made to the federal government for the next fiscal year that began Tuesday, Finlayson said.
“We’re doing everything we can for the (U.S. 17) corridor,” Finlayson said.
 |
||
| Smoke from field fire seen from far and wide |
tunne rat wrote on Jul 6, 2009 8:55 PM:
that is the biggest propganda word that every came out of butterfields and rino jones mouth in the past hundred years .
just 2 water boys for the obama socalist party , and a hand full of red necks that dont have a clue about whast they are talking about . "