060107sDOT
HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Minutes of Special Meeting (D.O.T. presentations)
June 1, 2007
The Harnett County Board of Commissioners met in special session on Friday, June 1,
2007, in the Commissioners Meeting Room, County Administration Building, 102 East
Front Street, Lillington, North Carolina.
Members present: Beatrice B. Hill, Vice Chairman
Dan B. Andrews
Gary House
Staff present: Neil Emory, County Manager
Wm. A. (Tony) Wilder, Assistant County Manager
Kay S. Blanchard, Clerk to the Board
Joseph Jeffries, Planning Director
Vice Chairman Hill called the meeting to order at 11:30 a.m. and welcomed several
representatives of the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Matthew Potter and other D.O.T. representatives presented a future project to multilane
3 ½ miles of Ray Road to accommodate the expected increase in traffic. Anderson Creek
Township is the fastest growing township in Harnett County. Mr. Emory encouraged the
group to coordinate with the Harnett County Department of Public Utilities, the local fire
and rescue department, schools and others regarding the expansion of Ray Road. Water
lines are already in place and a large sewer project is underway to serve current and
future development in the area. Mr. Potter noted that the recommended path will be
determined in late 2008 or early 2009. Mr. Emory will follow up with the Public Utilities
Department to ensure they have input in development of the path for the road
improvements..
Terry Gibson, Division Engineer, NC Department of Transportation, presented a
proposed NC 87 Super-Street Concept Plan. Mr. Gibson and others explained how the
super-street system works. He noted that use of traffic lights is the most dangerous
concept of moving traffic on main roads that intersect with other roads. The super-street
concept does not have 4-way intersections. The movements of vehicles will be spread
out. An example would be if a driver is coming out of a development or side road and
wishes to go left, he would turn right, go down a short distance, make a u-turn at a
designated place and proceed in the opposite direction. This concept has been utilized in
the Town of Leland in Brunswick County and is very successful, moving traffic faster
with fewer accidents. It has been amazingly accepted by the public and is much safer
than use of traffic lights. D.O.T. is attempting to be proactive in making these
improvements to NC 87, so the driving public will not have the problems experienced by
drivers on NC 55 when heavy development occurred.
There being no further business, the Harnett County Board of Commissioners special
meeting, June 1, 2007, adjourned at 1:00 p.m.
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Beatrice B. Hill, Vice Chairman
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Kay S. Blanchard, Clerk to the Board