INC NEWS - support East End Connector (+ Herald-Sun article)

[Caleb Southern]

To support the East End Connector, visit:
http://www.durhamloop.org/TIPcomment.htm

(Official NCDOT comment form - quick and easy)

Message: 
Restore construction funding for the East End Connector to no later than
2010 in the Transportation Improvement Program.

***

"We have reviewed the budgets and schedules of all of our proposed loop
projects and have not found any additional construction funds that could be
allocated to the East End Connector at this time." - NCDOT letter

Three years again, NCDOT had $200 million burning a hole in their pocket to
build Eno Drive -- a road Durham did not want.

Now DOT can't find $90 million to build the East End Connector, backed by
overwhelming community support and consensus from all across Durham as our
top priority.

What's wrong with this picture?


***

Group pushes for faster connector 

BY GINNY SKALSKI : The Herald-Sun
gskalski at heraldsun.com
Jun 8, 2005 : 11:41 pm ET 

DURHAM -- The news wasn't good for a group of East End Connector supporters
who came to a public hearing Wednesday loaded with reasons why the project
shouldn't be postponed until sometime after 2012. 

State transportation officials say there isn't enough money to fund the 2½
miles of asphalt that would link U.S. 70 and the Durham Freeway, according
to a letter from Calvin Leggett, manager of the NCDOT's Program Development
Branch. 

"We have reviewed the budgets and schedules of all of our proposed loop
projects and have not found any additional construction funds that could be
allocated to the East End Connector at this time," according to the letter,
which was passed out to supporters at the hearing. 

Still, the 11 supporters who signed up to speak in favor of the project at
the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Municipal Planning Organization didn't
waver. They each rattled off reasons why they believe state officials should
reconsider their funding priorities. In all, about 20 residents came to show
support. 

Southern Durham resident Steve Bocckino told the group that plans for the
connector have been on the books since he was 8 years old. Advocates say the
state has been planning the link, which would create a north-south
passageway through Durham, since 1959. 

"If it has to go on the 2013 [Transportation Improvement Program], I'm going
to be 62 years old before they even start the thing," said Bocckino, who
added that the connector is necessary to speed up trips to Research Triangle
Park. 

Construction for the link was slated to begin in 2010 under previous state
blueprints for transportation projects. However, the 2006-2012 State
Transportation Improvement Program omits the project, which means it is
unlikely to be built until sometime after 2012. 

The N.C. Board of Transportation is scheduled to vote on that program next
month, leaving Durham residents scrambling to convince board members to put
the project back in the plan. 

The link would shorten the commute of residents who work in RTP and now
travel on the north-south residential streets of Duke, Gregson, Mangum and
Roxboro to hook up with Interstate 85 and the Durham Freeway. 

"We see the East End Connector as an economic development tool bringing
development to Durham," said Sherry Kinlaw, director of special projects for
Downtown Durham Inc. "We can't afford to have bottlenecks on I-40 trying to
get to downtown." 

Former Inter Neighborhood Council President Mike Shiflett said he doesn't
believe funding is not available for the project. 

"There is the money, we just need to have the political will to say yes,"
Shiflett said. 

NCDOT Board Member Nina Szlosberg agreed. She told supporters one way they
could help get the money for the project is by lobbying state lawmakers to
change the way funding is allocated for transportation projects. 

"There's technical merits that are considered certainly, but it is a
political process when you're dealing with money," Szlosberg said.