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Monday, April 20, 2009 10:43 AM New 264 interchange gets funding By Matt Shaw | Times Staff Writer A U.S. 264-Stantonsburg Road interchange, sought by Wilson officials for years, should be under construction by early 2010. Gov. Bev Perdue announced late last week that 64 new highway and bridge projects totaling about $209 million will be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The state had already announced $570 million in projects that would be funded by the federal stimulus package, but this is the first project in Wilson County. "North Carolina is leading the nation in efforts to expedite the selection of projects and get them under way as quickly as possible to get our people to work," Perdue said in her announcement. "Given our current economy, it is critical that we are using our recovery money to help put people to work and create much-needed economic growth for our communities." The announcement included $4.3 million for the new interchange. The estimated breakdown of costs is $1 million from Recovery Act funds and $3.3 million from other N.C. Department of Transportation funds. DOT plans to let contracts for the work by November. Site preparation could begin shortly afterward. The interchange has been a high priority for both city and county officials, city engineer Bryant Bunn said Friday afternoon. The interchange will allow traffic better access to and from Beddingfield High School, Wedgewood Golf Course and Hackney Industrial Park, Bunn said. "If you're going to any of those places, you'll be able to get right off the highway," he said. The city recently applied for other projects to be funded with stimulus money, Bunn said. One or more may still be funded. In 2007, Wilson officials worked with county commissioners to bring the area around the Stantonsburg Road overpass into the city's planning jurisdiction. City Council members said then that they expected a interchange to be built eventually and the area around it developed. Perdue's office estimated that the projects announced Friday would create or support more than 6,000 jobs and contribute nearly $1.3 billion to the economy. NCDOT is continuing to work with its local partners to identify projects to be funded through the remainder of the available money, including public transportation projects funded through the $103 million North Carolina received for transit improvements. For more information, go to www.ncrecovery.gov or www.ncdot.gov. mshaw@wilsontimes.com | 265-7878 |
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Dita said...
Go Obama!
Monday, April 20, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Go Obama!
Monday, April 20, 2009 at 2:51 PM
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