This road is far from 'a done deal' as NC DOT would like the public to believe. They are required to produce a complete Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which would show ALL viable alternatives. The EIS is expected August 20. The Governor can play a key role to make sure State and Federal Environmental laws are being followed.
The protection of Umstead State Park, Schenck Forest, and the connecting Richland Creek Corridor is important to maintain the quality of life Wake County prides itself upon. All cities have entertainment and shopping centers, but what most large cities lack is what we now take for granted, unspoiled green belts and Parks. We will lose the most significant remaining greenspace corridor in the Capital area if the proposed Duraleigh Road Connector is built. This intact public land serves as a wildlife and recreation resource that can never be reproduced once it is severed.
The Umstead Coalition supports:
|
Mayor Koka Booth, TAC Chair c/o Town of Cary P.O. Box 1147 Cary, NC 27511-1147 (Bus 469-4011 / Fax 460-4910) |
Mayor Tom Fetzer City of Raleigh P.O. Box 590 Raleigh, NC 27602 (Fax 890-3058) |
Nicholas Graf, (non-voting) Div. Administrator, Federal Highway Administration 310 New Bern Ave., Suite 410 Raleigh, NC 27601 (856-4330) |
Charlie E. Grady, N.C. Board of Transportation c/o J.K. Sherron & Associates 4021 Barrett Dr. Raleigh, NC 27609 (Bus 510-5000; (fax 781-8059) |
|
J. Stewart Adcock, Wake County. Commissioner 5311 April Wind Drive Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 |
Billy Sauls, Mayor Pro Tem Town of Morrisville 3611 Davis Drive Morrisville, NC 27560 |
Don Rohrbaugh c/o Town of Garner 104 Queensbury Court Garner, NC 27529 |
Mayor Keith Weatherly c/o Town of Apex P.O. Box 250 Apex, NC 27502 |
|
Mayor Joe Bryan c/o Town of Knightdale P.O. Box 640 Knightdale, NC 27545 |
Mayor Bob Matheny Town of Zebulon 111 E. Vance Street Zebulon, NC 27597 |
Mayor Joe Winfree Town of Rolesville P.O. Box 250 Rolesville, NC 27571 |
Commissioner Bob Hill Town of Wake Forest 401 Elm Street Wake Forest, NC 27587 |
|
Mayor Lucius Jones Town of Wendell P.O. Box 828 Wendell, NC 27591 |
Mayor Bob Barker c/o Town of Fuquay-Varina 1300 East Academy Street Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 |
Mayor Gerald W. Holleman c/o Town of Holly Springs P.O. Box 8 Holly Spring, NC 27540 |
The proposed Duraleigh Road Connector would have a severe effect on Umstead State Park, DOES physically take Park land, AND would legally take much more Park land according to Section 4(f) of the 1966 Federal Transportation Act through substantial impairment to the Park by decreasing its environmental, recreational, ecological, and historical significance. The proposed road will be noisy and would sever the wildlife and greenway (e.g., Loblolly Trail) corridor that currently links the Park to neighboring public land, including NCSU's Schenck Forest and Wake County's Richland Lake.
The proposed Duraleigh Road Connector would have a devastating impact on NCSU's Schenck Forest, a key outdoor teaching facility of NCSU, utilized by schools in Wake County, and a major recreation area for Raleigh, Wake County and North Carolina citizens.
The proposed Duraleigh Road Connector would put MORE traffic on the I-40 "parking lot" by Harrison Avenue.
The enormous expense of the proposed Duraleigh Road Connector becomes clearer as NCDOT flushes out design details. For example, the 3,700 foot proposed elevated road alone would add millions of dollars to the project.
The annual December, 1994 local government TIP request through CAMPO to NCDOT was overridden by NCDOT representatives by delaying funding for CAMPO's top priority road project (Edwards Road Extension between Wade Avenue and Duraleigh Road), while adding the expensive and controversial Duraleigh Road Connector that was not requested. This jeopardizes local control over project priority. By federal law, local governments do have the right to determine their own road priorities. Raleigh has unanimously requested that this road be deleted from the TIP AND the Thoroughfare Plan.
rev. 9:12 AM on 2/10/99