Clayton Bypass

Why it takes 15 years I still don't understand, but what about in those 15 years all the growth we have had. Did they not see all of it along the way?
I am sure they did but still nothing on the books for improvement.

I will give you credit for them not seeing it back then but how about the time leading up to it?

Maybe they all had the same mentality as you, who knows.

 

Your argument has 1 really big hole in it. 20 years ago, they thought that Hwy 70 and I-40 had enough traffic to warrant the 2 roads coming together to form a combined 3 lanes in each direction. So when they began planning the 70 bypass 10 years ago, did they think the traffic on I-40 and Hwy 70 would not increase at all and that it would actually decrease to the point that the 2 roads could come together and form a 2 lane road with no problems. Even with 0 growth in Johnston County, the bypass project should have included a 3rd lane to I-40.

That doesn't require any special forethought. That's basic logic, something that our DOT frequently seems to be lacking.

 

:hurray:

 

:iagree:

 

for whatever reason it was alot better today....

 

I certainly hope that all of you who are complaining about lack of, or poorly planned infrastructure to accomodate growth are prepared to pay higher taxes to get things done. These projects cost money and, yes, government can spend our money a little more wisely but that only meets the problem half-way.

 

Let's do a really good tax-payer funded audit, before we talk about raising taxes :twisted:

 

I left about 10 minutes earlier today and traffic wasn't nearly as bad as yesterday but there were some slow downs.

 

Exactly. I don't think the issues at hand have as much to do with logic and forethought, as they do with $$.

 

Same here! We had no problems at all, one suggestion as to why that I heard in my office is that all the schools were out yesterday. Not sure if that had anything to do with it or not

 

Same mentality. Nice.

You dont draw up a set of right-of-way plans in 3 days. Not for a project this big.

You dont get environmental studies done in 2 weeks.

You dont get environmental permits done in 3 months.

You dont acquire the land needed in 1 year. Some people fight you for it.

You dont get bids sent back in to you in 2 days either.

There are study after study to be done any time you do a project like this.

Maybe its the mentalities of people like you that think DOT can spit out an 11 mile bypass and all it takes is 4 years total, and that every time a new set of 100 people move in the area, you can just re-route the road or add a new interchange along the way. It doesnt work like that.

 

Amen sister!

 

I took my son to Tball yesterday at the YMCA filed off Powathan. I had some time so we explored we took the by pass from 42 towards smithfield. I did not see a exit sign to back into clayton, I had to turn around once the by pass ended. Did I miss the exit or is there no exit to go back into clayton via 70 fromt he bypass.

 

It's SUPPOSED to BYPASS Clayton, not go back into it...:lol:

 

Thats the same as down towards Smithfield/Selma... if you stay on the Bypass and don't take that exit after Buffalo Rd., you can't get back to Smithfield/Selma, you have to go up the road 3 miles or so and turn around.
I made that mistake once...

 

Why don't you read all the way through the post? I don't expect it to be done over night. I said I give you credit for them maybe not seeing it 15 years ago, but why in the past 15 years have they not even put a plan in place to correct it? Are they just now noticing that the county has grown and 40 was already a mess?

 

I suppose it is all in how you define progress.

 

I don't even give them credit for not seeing it 15 years ago. 20 years ago, they had 70 and 40 come together at what is now exit 306 and form 3 lanes in each direction. If there was enough traffic on 70 and 40 to warrant 3 lanes 20 years ago, surely there was enough traffic on 70 and 40 to warrant 3 lanes 15 years ago when they began planning the bypass. To plan/build the bypass without including a 3rd lane for I-40 was a step backwards.

As for the money, the bypass cost 120 Million. How much more would it have cost to add the 3rd lane?

 

My understanding about exit 306, it had been designed like that to accommodate Nabisco. Before White Oak was built it was to have a Nabisco plant built there and the ramps onto and off of I-40 at exit 306 was to accommodate Nabisco's trucks

 

Ballpark, 4 lanes is $120 million, then 6 lanes would be $60 million more. more grading, more stone, more paving, more wider bridges etc.