August 11, 1977 - 7:30 PM - =County Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes (Special)

2Fit widthVIG 4IPublic Hearing of Board of Commissioners County of JohnstonAugust 11, 1977A Public Hearing was held in the Superior Courtroom of the Johnston CountyCourthouse, Smithfield, North Carolina, Thursday, August 11, 1977, at 7 30 pm,for the purpose of hearing Johnston County citizens voice their priorities forimprovements in the countys Primary Road System with the following members presentNorman C Denning, Chairman, Frank B Holding, Vice-Chairman, HowardBenton, J E Rogerson and John M Booker, DVMMembers Absent NoneChairman Denning called the meeting to order and the following petitionswere presented1 GREATER SMITHFIELD -SELMA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE - PRIMARY ROADPRIORITIESPRESENTED TO JOHNSTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERSBY ROSS LAMPEMembers of the Johnston County Board of CommissionersI am Ross Lampe, representing the 309 member firms and 354 representativesof the Greater Smithfield -Selma Area Chamber of Commerce The following primaryroad priorities have been adopted by the Chambers Board of Directors and establisas the greatest needs of our area#1 The widening of Highway 301 between Smithfield and Selma to fivelanes - this has been established as the Chambers #1 priority since1970 Four presentations have already been given to the NorthCarolina Department of Transportation stating it was our #1 need#2 Connect I -40 to 70 -East - this is needed to relieve the heavy trafficcorridor along 70 and 70 -A to Morehead City#3 Extend Booker Dairy Road east to Sylvania Service road; and extendBooker Dairy Road west from Buffalo Road to Wilsons Mills Roadcreating a by -pass and new bridge across the Neuse - this is neededbecause future Smithfield growth has to be north because of physicalboundaries It is needed because there are some 2300 studentsattending the two new schools in that area It is needed to relieveheavily traveled route # 70 through downtown Smithfield It is needecbecause of the two way shopping centers to be built in the WestSmithfield areaGentlemen, these are the three priorities of the Greater Smithfield -SelmaArea We solicit your support and endorsement to the North Carolina Departmentof Transportation2 The Honorable Norman C Denning, ChairmanBoard of Commissioners of Johnston CountyP 0 Box 1049Smithfield, North Carolina 27577Dear SirThe Town of Selma requests the widening from two to five lanes ofHighway 301 between Selma and Smithfield be included in the NorthCarolina Highway Improvement ProgramThis improvement has been supported by the Town of Selma for yearsThe need now is urgent and as growth continues the conditions willbecome critical and hinder safe travel and proper area development•_ ,h -The 301 from the center of Selma southward almostwidening; ©fr Il?;g?,,to our municipal limits was a joint effort funded by the Departmentof Transportation and the Town of Selma This portion of the highway,widened at considerable expense to the Town of Selma, is positiveevidence of the need and the priority the Town of Selma places on theprojectThe Town of Selma respectfully requests that this project be affordedthe highest priority for primary road improvements within the Countyof JohnstonVery truly yours,James E PeedinMayorJEP avt ifl? ? IAugust 11, 1977 Cont3 Roy Coates of West Smithfield told the Board that he endorsespriority # 3 of the Primary Road Priorities of the Greater Smithfield -Selma Area Chamber of Commerce This request would snake it safer forchildren and avoid the congestion going to the two new schools on theBuffalo RoadChairman Denning explained this meeting public hearing was called forPrimary Road requests, however, the Board would be glad to discuss and hear anysecondary road requests at the Board of Commissioners meeting immediately followingthis hearingCommissioner Holding explained a Primary System hearing had already beenheld in Wilson, and Commissioner Howard Benton commented the Board thought it agood idea to hold a hearing in Johnston County so they could be aware of how thepeople of Johnston County placed their prioritiesChairman Denning questioned, if the people here agree we will get thesepriorities to the Department of Transportation for considerationRoss Lampe told the Board that he attended the meeting in Wilson and othercounties are very ambitious about their projects and it wouldbehoove JohnstonCounty to be ambitious about theirsCommissioner Holding stated if we do not work for this money we willnot get anyThe Board felt that Johnston County should not mix these priorities with tI -40 project as they feel they will have a big controversy and not anything to dowith the I -40 locationIt was the feeling of Craig Jones, Selma Attorney, that Johnston Countyshould work on one or two projects that it really needsCommissioner Holding advised he would work hard to get money spent inJohnston County, and the county needs to get representatives from the Departmentof Transportation down to look at Johnston Countys Primary Road needs and prioritie Mr Lampe told the Board there were two other delegations at the Wilsonhearing from Johnston County, from Clayton and Benson The Clayton request wasconcerning the replacement of the antique bridge at Archer LodgeThe Board of Commissioners agreed to endorse the Primary Road Prioritiesof the Greater Smithfield Selma Area Chamber of Commerce, item # 1 excluding therequest to connect I -40 to Highway 70 east, the Town of Selma request item # 2and agreed to endorse the replacement of the Neuse River Bridge between Clayton andArcher Lodge in Wilders TownshipThe Board further agreed they would attempt to have someone from theDepartment of Transportation visit Johnston County and maybe even Governor Hunt tolook at Johnston Countys primary road needsChairman Denning called for any further business on primary roads andexpressed appreciation for the interest shown by the publicThere being no further business, Commissioner John Ali Booker moved thatthe Public Hearing be closedCommissioner Frank B Holding seconded the motion which was carriedunanimouslyNorman C Denning, ChairmanEleanor N Creech, Clerk