(Hayley Benton / Mountain Xpress)
A public meeting regarding the future of the I-26 connector will be held today from 4-7 p.m. in the Harvey L. Haynes Center on the A-B Tech Enka campus, 1465 Sand Hill Road, Candler.
More in the press release:
Press Release
From N.C. Department of Transportation:
RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Transportation wants to hear from North Carolinians regarding their transportation priorities as part of its efforts to implement the state’s new Strategic Transportation Investments law.
Signed into law by Gov. McCrory last summer, House Bill 817 “Strategic Transportation Investments,” overhauls the way North Carolina funds transportation improvements, allowing NCDOT to make more efficient use of its existing revenues to fund more investments that improve the state’s transportation infrastructure, create jobs and help boost the economy.
The law establishes the Strategic Mobility Formula, which uses a data-driven approach to provide more flexibility in funding transportation improvements on the statewide, regional and division level with the goal of meeting the state’s top priorities while still addressing individualized local needs.
In the coming weeks, each of the 14 NCDOT Transportation Divisions across the state will submit its top transportation priorities to compete with other transportation improvements across the state for funding under the new formula. To help determine these priorities, each division is asking local residents to provide their thoughts on which transportation improvements are most important. Projects can be as large-scale as an interstate improvement or as small as a new turn lane or traffic signal, and can be for any mode of transportation, including public transit, bicycle/pedestrian, ferry, aviation and rail.
Residents can take part in the process by making their suggestions during a 30-day public comment period from Tuesday, Jan. 14 through Wednesday, Feb. 12. Each Transportation Division will host a public open house to meet with local residents and obtain feedback regarding transportation priorities.
In Division 13, which includes Buncombe Burke, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey counties, the open house will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at Asheville Buncombe Technical College’s Enka Campus in the Harvey L. Haynes Corporate Technology Training and Conference Center, located at 1465 Sand Hill Road, Candler, N.C. 28715. In addition, written comments can be submitted via email at sti_comments_div13@ncdot.gov This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or regular mail at STI, NCDOT Division 13, P.O. Box 3279, Asheville, N.C. 28802. All comments must be received by 5 p.m. on Feb. 12.
More information about the Strategic Transportation Investments law and how it works, and the public meetings can be found on the NCDOT website.
NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who want to participate in this meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Kristina Solberg at klsolberg@ncdot.gov as early as possible so that arrangements can be made.
Tons of people in the area have attended many meetings about this connector, since 1999, at least. A lot of citizens are against the proposed multi-lane connector, even though most of us think that the mess around the Bowen Bridge should be improved. Feels like the DOT is trying to wear us down, however long it takes.