Oct. 14 - 20, 2016
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U.S. 220 widening has been a Citizens urge council to nix U.S. 220 long, bumpy road for NCDOT Projected date for full completion of project is January 2018 by JESSICA WATERS The U.S. 220 widening project, which began construction in May 2012, will be completed in January 2018, according to NCDOT. “The (January 2018) completion date for the U.S. 220 project … is full completion of the entire project. The open-to-traffic date for the corridor is expected to be August 2017,” said Division 7 Construction Engineer Patty Eason.
“The full completion date of January 2018 means that there could still be work occurring, but it would be outside of travel lanes,” added Division 7 Engineer Mike Mills. Initially, the project was projected to be complete by Dec. 27, 2016. Several changes in the project parameters have impacted the projected completion date, including the addition of a sound barrier wall along part of the southern portion of the project, and a change in the layout of a major intersection in the northern part of the project. “The original contract plans included a signalized intersection at U.S. 220 and
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Photo by Jessica Waters/NWO
The northern portion of the U.S. 220 widening project is expected to be open to traffic Nov. 16, with full completion of the 13-mile project expected in January 2018.
pedestrian crossing by PATTI STOKES SUMMERFIELD – The majority of citizens who spoke during the Public Comments period of the Summerfield Town Council’s Oct. 11 meeting expressed support for the Town moving forward with the A&Y Greenway extension – while also urging the council to reconsider a trail route that would require a pedestrian crossing at U.S. 220 and Strawberry Road. At the Aug. 9 town council meeting, the council explained that the original route for the greenway extension, which would have had pedestrians coming out of a pedestrian tunnel under U.S. 220, north of Strawberry Road – and along two tracts of private property to get to Summerfield Road – was no longer a
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viable option because the private property owners did not want to provide trail easements. Two alternative routes were considered, and of those, the route including a pedestrian crossing over U.S. 220 was approved with a 3-2 vote. Matthew Rand was among those who attended the Oct. 11 council meeting and expressed support for the Town extending the A&Y Greenway. However, as an avid runner who has completed two marathons, Rand said he had been hit by cars three times during his runs and a pedestrian crossing over U.S. 220 to continue on the A&Y Greenway was not the answer. “You have a tunnel. Use it. Talk to NCDOT,” he urged the council. Janelle Robinson, a mother
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