Minutes - 19731001 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

~_~•~ In the spring of 1971 our Association presented its formal opposition to Alternate One at a Commissioners hearing in Orange County (public hearing). The membership is reaffirming its opposition and pleads that the County Commissioners oppose the Alternate One seleotion. An Officer or Board l4ember will willingly accept an invitation to appear before the Commissioners for presentation of detailed points upon which the opposition is based. Aa President of the Association which represents nearly 500 residents of southeast Orange County, I urgently request that the Commissioners strongly consider the preliminary petition and to note opposition to Alternate One of Interstate 40. Harold Jernigan, Principal of Carolina F`rienda School, said the construction of I-40 would create safety problems for the students who attended the school and that the area around the school was used as a tesahing labatory, however, the safety factor was a prime concern of the Trustees of the School. He stated that Mt. Sinai Road would have to be widened and thus would encroach on 17uke Forest and that he did not feel the road would be adequate to handle the overflow of traffic from the I-!}0 route. Mr. Jernigan said the highway is intended to gat traffic through Orange County, not into the County. He said that the Board of Trustees of the School had noted unanimously to oppose Alternate 1 of I-40. Robert Fankhauser and Dr. David McFadden, residents of the area, spoke in opposition to the routing of an interstate through the area. The Chairman then inquired if there was anyone who wished to speak in favor of the construction of Alternate I of I-40. Fred S. Cates, Mayor of the Town of Hillsborough, stated that his Soard had evaluated all the proposed routes and that they did strongly endorse the recommendation of the highway experts. He said his Board had no re&son to change the position that they had previously taken in endorsing the aonatruation of Alternate I of I-!}0. Oscar Compton, a resident of the Cedar Grove area, said he felt the construction of I-40 was being objected to by environmentalist. He stated that I-i~0 would serve as s farm to market road for the citizens who produce food and fiber for the State; and that in order to produce the food and the fiber for the markets farmers were forced to clear the land and cut the trees. Mr. Compton stated that farmers of Person and Caswell counties, as well sa those of northern Orange County would be benefited by the aonstruotion of I-4q as it would eliminate their having to drive through the city of Raleigh in order to reach the market areas. William C. Flay, former member of the Board of Commissioners, stated that the construction of Alternate T oP I-40 would benefit the citizens of the northern area of the county and that he could not see where it could damage the citizens of the southern portion of the county. He stated that the proposed route would not only be used by the farmers of his area, but that it would provide a more direct route for the citizens who worked in Chapel Hill and at the Research Triangle Park. Commissioner Flora Garrett stated that I would like to ask the Council of Govern- ments to add to the impact statement a recommendation. Said recommendation would read as follows: "One of the problems resulting from State and Federal highway and Interstate planning is that many times local government officials feel that the results of such planning are handed to them only for comment and review. Because of a lack of direct invelvment around the conference table in road manning some officials feel that they must shout to be heard and delays and conflicts arise. It is strongly recommended that in reworking the draft environment impact statement that an opportunity for working on the Interstate projects as a team be implemented between local, State and Federal officials. Commissioner Richard F,. Whitted stated that from the standpoint of environmental impact, Alternate I is the worst possible route for I-40, as it would nut a 400 foot wide strip through Orange County that is wider than any of the existing interstates. This route for I-40 would overload I-85 between Hillsborough and Greensboro because both routes will share the current highway. He stated that it was his understanding that the proposed Alternate I would create more than one problem for Durham County as it will take a proposed school site, affect a middle-income housing area and oangest the Aurham EScpreasway. I feel that the State Highway Department needs to go back to the drawing board and take another look, he stated. Commissioner Henry Walker stated that after listening again to both sides of the argument that he hadn't seen fit to change his mind from the decision that had been reached by the Soard soma eighteen months prior. He said I don't think that anything we decide will make any difference in where they will put I-40. Commissioner Melvin Whitfield stated that he was not familiar enough with the background information concerning I-40 but that he felt that from the discussion that he had heard that the State Highway Commission should take another look at the project. Chairman *Iorman Walker said he felt that the Board should take some action either for Alternate I or against Alternate I. He said every delay is costly.