INC NEWS - East End Connector: PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 8 (7pm)

[Caleb Southern]

INC unanimously endorsed the East End Connector highway project in 2005 -
restating INC's previous unanimous support in 2002 - in order to improve
safety and quality of life by diverting cut-through traffic off of our
neighborhood streets. NCDOT has delayed this road indefinitely. Please come
to the public hearing (June 8, 7pm, City Hall) to support this long overdue
and needed transportation project. And please fill out the NCDOT public
comment form (see below).

 

http://www.durhamloop.org/Support/INC.htm

 

Please forward this post to your neighborhood listservs.

 

 

***

 

Thank you for your continued support of the East End Connector! Your voice
is making a difference. NCDOT received 100 emails from us this Spring!

 

 

There are two ways you can help right now:

 

1.      Fill out the official NCDOT public comment form - quick and easy!

 

Go to http://www.durhamloop.org/TIPcomment.htm

 

2.      Go to the public hearing.

 

Wed June 8, 7pm (Durham City Hall, 2nd floor conference room)

 

You can either:

-          Sign up to speak.

-          Come and stand in support (without speaking).

Your presence will make a difference!

 

The message that NCDOT needs to hear is:

 

"Please build the East End Connector. This is Durham's top highway priority.
We need DOT to restore construction funding to no later than the year 2010."

 

 

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT CITY HALL - JUNE 8, 7pm!

Please bring a friend, and forward this message to listservs and other
groups who may be interested!

 

Thank you,

Caleb Southern

www.DurhamLoop.org <http://www.durhamloop.org/> 

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

See: www.DurhamLoop.org <http://www.durhamloop.org/> 

 

Three years ago, the people of Durham reached an historic compromise,
resolving the 35-year compromise surrounding the controversial Eno Drive
loop. The consensus agreement calls for several roads to be built, starting
with the East End Connector. The EEC will divert cut-through traffic off of
our neighborhood streets, improve commutes to RTP from I-85 and northern
Durham, and improve access to Duke, Downtown Durham, and NCCU from the north
and east - among many benefits.

 

This broad-based consensus includes supporters from all over Durham:

http://www.durhamloop.org/Support/index.html

 

The East End Connector is the oldest unbuilt highway in the entire state,
dating back to 1959! Most of the right-of-way was purchased by NCDOT in
1963. Due to the efforts of many people in the Durham community, the EEC
became eligible for state Highway Trust Fund money three years ago. Durham
is one of seven NC cities designated in the original 1989 trust fund
legislation. Yet, we haven't received any of this trust fund money. Now
Fayetteville, who was only recently added to the trust fund legislation, has
jumped ahead of Durham - and will receive several hundred million from the
trust fund over the next seven years!

 

NCDOT is currently updating the TIP (Transportation Improvement Program, a
7-year road construction and funding plan). The previous TIP reflected
Durham's priorities, and had the East End Connector finally funded for
construction in 2010.

 

The new TIP - the subject of the public hearing on June 8 - has construction
of the EEC delayed indefinitely!

 

DOT held its official public hearing for Division 5 (including Durham) in
Rocky Mount, 2 hours away, during business hours. (See the news article at:
http://www.durhamloop.org/news/HeraldSun051305.htm ) Our Division 5
representatives to the NC Board of Transportation, Ken Spaulding and Nina
Szlosberg, have expressed the importance of public input in the planning
process. Due in part to their efforts, we now have an opportunity right here
in Durham to voice our opinions and support the EEC - in the evening when
people can actually come. NCDOT officials are supposed to be at this meeting
to hear us.

 

Local officials listened to us three years ago, and still support the East
End Connector as a top priority. But NCDOT has delayed this road
indefinitely, opting instead to let Fayetteville "leap-frog" our needs.

 

 

Please come show NCDOT that we are still here, and still will come out
strong for the East End Connector! And let our local officials know that
this road is important, and they need to fight for it on our behalf. 

 

Come tell local and state officials to restore construction funding for the
East End Connector to no later than 2010!

 

Wed, June 8, 7pm

Durham City Hall (2nd floor)

 

*	 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/private/inc-list/attachments/20050527/17f4fbed/attachment-0001.htm