Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2010 11:35:46 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ann Jones
Subject: DOT changing RT 64 to Interstate, cont
In response to Esta Cohen’s post in #3786:
I live in Chatham and work in Cary so this project will affect me superficially for my commute. However, it affects me most deeply in what could be lost for Chatham County.
This will affect you too. How will EMT/Fire gain access to your house quickly? Where will travelers spend money in Chatham County if they can’t easily pull into your business? How it will impact Jordan Lake, your drinking water and the wildlife?
The State already built a train to get us from Raleigh to Charlotte – you and I have already paid for this. The proposed drive time for the superhighway and the existing train commute is the same – so why would NCDOT build a redundant fossil-fuel promoting highway instead of putting $325M into light rail, alt transportation or expanded IT infrastructure? Or, educating your child …?
Why does the NCDOT require this project? Whose interests are being served (follow the money)? How does NCDOT expect to fund this $325M+ road project (hmmm more gas tax? toll road?)?
Cary/Apex citizens have done a great job organizing into a group called Save64.org. See them here: http://save64.org They organized back in June 2009
Important Links:
Phase 1 and 2 of the US64 study
http://ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/tpb/SHC/studies/
If you’d like to contact any of the project team specifically:
http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/tpb/SHC/studies/us64/contact/
THe corridor selection process (apparently Chatham County isn’t a major “Activity Center”)
http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/tpb/SHC/concept/Selection/
I can’t support a project like this without more answers. Perhaps the NCDOT just sees Chatham as a bump in the road.