After attending a meeting with state Department of Transportation officials in Wilson today, Roanoke Rapids Mayor D.N. Beale says the tolling of Interstate 95 is a reality.
“They cleared up a lot of things,” Beale told council during its meeting tonight.
One of the things cleared up, the mayor said, “The tolling of I 95 is going to happen. Eventually it’s going to happen.”
Late last month the North Carolina Turnpike Authority took possession of $1.01 billion in bond proceeds and federal loans allowing it to award construction contracts to build the state's first modern toll road, the Triangle Expressway in Wake and Durham counties, a July 29 press release from the authority said.
Beale said it was not clear when the move to tolling the heavily traveled I-95 would happen, but it would most likely occur within the next five to 10 years. There have already been engineering studies.
The mayor said there was no mention of revenues from the tolling of the highway.
The Triangle Expressway is a new-location roadway from the NC 55 Bypass near Holly Springs to I-40 at NC 147. This toll road system is approximately 18.8 miles in length and is comprised of three segments: Western Wake Freeway, Triangle Parkway and existing NC 540 between NC 55 and NC 54. The project is a six-lane, controlled-access toll road and is expected to save customers up to 20 minutes per full trip. The Triangle Parkway is scheduled to open to traffic in 2011 while the Western Wake Freeway is scheduled to open to traffic in 2012.
According to the press release, the Triangle Expressway will be the first project in the United States designed and built to use an all electronic toll collection system, meaning there will be no toll booths and no stopping to pay tolls. Customers may use cash, check or credit card to buy an electronic transponder that will automatically charge for road use. For those without a transponder, overhead gantries with high-speed camera imaging systems will capture license plate information and drivers will be billed. The Triangle Expressway toll rates have not been set, however similar toll facilities around the country charge tolls in the range of 10 to 20 cents per mile.
In other city road matters Beale said he and the officials talked about extending Premier Boulevard to the Holiday Inn Express off NC 125.
The bridge has been designed with hopes businesses will build on either side of it, Beale said. There are, however, right of way issues that must still be worked out.
In other matters tonight council:
• Approved the conveyance of land located at 10th and Cedar streets to Halifax-Northampton Habitat for Humanity. Habitat will use that property to build a house after it finishes one on Glover Street.
• Listened to a brief farewell message from Interim City Manager Pete Connet. Connet will be leaving next Thursday after he briefs incoming City Manager Paul Sabiston on city issues, he said.
“I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve for the last 2 1/2 months,” Connet said. “It’s been a pleasure to serve you. You’ve got a good new city manager starting Monday. Roanoke Rapids has a lot of positive things going for it.”
He said as the state and national economy begins to turn, so will the city’s.
Beale said the city appreciated Connet’s work. “You guided us through some tough times. You gave us guidance while we were trying to deal with a new manager.”
