Route chosen for U.S. 17 bypass of Pollocksville

The route for a U.S. 17 bypass around Pollocksville has been decided, commissioners from Craven and Jones counties learned Monday.

The information came in a bi-annual update by the U.S. 17 Association's Marc Finlaysen to the boards of commissioners in Jones on Monday morning and Craven on Monday night. The boards were briefed on the association's progress in getting the north-south highway four-laned from Virginia to South Carolina.

That route - alternative 4D - goes mostly through farm and forest land behind existing improved property on the current U.S. 17. It would take few, if any, houses, said Franky Howard, Jones County manager.

He said this segment cuts through Parker Farm and some forest land and comes back into existing U.S. 17 at Lees Chapel Road.

Finlaysen said a determination is expected in 30 to 60 days on which alternative route around Maysville will be used.

A four-lane U.S. 17 from Belgrade to New Bern has not been totally funded but a decision on exactly where it will go will help speed the process, he said. Even securing right of way for the $215 million project is several years away.

Finlaysen said Sen. Elizabeth Dole is seeking $1 million in federal money for the project near Camp Lejeune. "It is just a drop in the bucket, compared to the total project cost, but any help is appreciated," he said.

He said the total cost of needed  U.S. 17 improvements is estimated at $2 billion, according to a study done by East Carolina University for the association. He said the school is now working on a study to determine the economic effect of the improvements.

Work toward a U.S. 17 New Bern bypass is also under way, with mining rights being negotiated with Martin-Marietta for one portion. There is continued preparation for a November bid letting for one segment's construction.

Craven County's 2008-09 budget includes $36,000 for the U.S. 17 Association's work lobbying for improvements to the major coastline highway.

Finlaysen also gave the boards a brief legislative update, including information that the N.C. General Assembly has begun the process to reduce its draw from the N.C. Highway Trust by about $99 million over the next three years.

"It has always been the U.S. 17 Association's position that money raised for transportation should be spent for transportation," Finlaysen said.

He said it appears that the 21st Century Transportation Commission will recommend a big bond package to jump-start some of its innovative highway funding plans, which contain toll roads and bridges, including a toll bridge across Currituck Sound in eastern North Carolina.