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Notes from Sneads Ferry Roads Update : May 25, 2010
Mike Alford, recently appointed to the NC DOT came to Sneads Ferry to bring us up to date on some issues of local road construction. Mr. Alford, representing the 3rd Division on NC, pointed out that 17 of the 18 seats on the Board are now filled, with one at-large rural seat remaining. He opened his remarks by telling us that the DOT Board is taking new directions in transportation reform and resource allocation with emphasis on safety, mobility and infrastructure health. Alford remarked that the historical 7-year plan was obsolete, overprogrammed and underfunded. 62% of programmed projects were funded and are currently being completed. With fresh perspective and reorganizing of priorities, the new 5-year strategy is expecting 95% realistic funding.
Locally, with the growth experienced around Camp Lejeune, Marine Special Operations Command and New River, we are seeing predicted but unsatisfactorily planned for increases in local Stump Sound traffic burdens relative to operations and dependent relocation in this area through to Hampstead and Wilmington. While it is anticipated some of the burden may be relieved when the new gate opens on the North side of Camp Lejeune, this community's infrastructure requires immediate and long-term consideration.
Statewide funding is required for about $9Billion in need over the next 5 years. So far, only $1.5 Bil has been identified as source of revenue. Hence, the Board truly needs BEST available date to evaluate needs. Alford commented that the NC Secretary of Transoortation would be in Jacksonville, and visiting Camp Lejeune within days. Many of us made a point of addressing our concerns to the Secretary, as did General Jensen and Joe Ramirez, Marine Corps liaison to Onslow.
Troop Expectations: The predicted 11,477 has been inflated SO FAR to 14,400.
Good news: Piney Green was a project planned to be completed in 2 phases. Now single funding ($50Mil) has been allocated and the project is added to the Transportation Improvement Plan.
DATA driven analysis: Vehicle counts of 2008 in Sneads Ferry on HWY 172 tracked 17,000 vehicles crossing through 4-corners. Of those, CLJ accounted for 7,600. Verification, update is needed on this data.
Plans are underway:
· 12-15 months Feasibility Study is now beginning to determine construction requirements for widening HWY172/HYW210.
· Stone Bay traffic signal is fast-tracked, and now installed as of this writing. The base is paying for that installation.
· HWY 210 is being widened 3 feet on each side with a 2 ft paved shoulder.
· A Right-Turn lane from HWY172 to HWY210 is moving forward with construction targeted for this fall.
· Recent surveys of traffic led to slowing down of speed limits on HWY 172 to 45mph.
Intergovernmental funding is critical for the Feasibility Study completion and infrastructure funding. We need to address strategic plans and requirements for troop movement, hurricane or tsunami evacuation. MARSOC, SOCOMM and Department of Navy all have skin in this game and should be major contributors. Mobility funding dollars should also be requested and projected with respect to the GTP/Lejeune corridor infrastructure planning.
Our DOT Division engineer, Alan Pope also remarked he is pressing for expedition of the Feasibility study. We did address that the Marine Corps can probably provide concrete evidences of needs with respect to population increases. Has their population seen increases in domestic violence, PTSD, suicide rates, base related MVA's (all growth-related stress indicators)?
We requested that the engineer consider posting website traffic warnings, place signage on HWY172 suggesting alternate routes along off-routes, and that HWY 210 be slowed to 45mph from the high-rise bridge consistently past North Shore and the mini-golf course/commercial section.
This meeting was productive and informative. As expected, the wheels turn slowly, and we were reminded that the squeaky one gets the grease. We as a community need to become skilled at providing data to DOT in such fashion that they hear us.
Respectfully submitted,
Tracey Louise Miller
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