Garden Parkway
The York Chester National Historic District Neighborhood Association does not endorse any side of this issue, but makes this information public to educate members, residents and other stakeholders.
Gaston Regional ChamberThe Gaston Regional Chamber has created a website to help make information more user-friendly and includes links to contact public officials and a calendar of events in easy-to-read format at www.buildthegardenparkway.com
Garden Parkway-- Community MeetingIn a letter to our neighbors, Belmot citizen Bill Toole invites York Chester residents to community meetings to prepare for the NC Turnpike Authority's public hearings on the Garden Parkway. Mr. Toole has set up a website for additional information about the Toll Road, its route, and what our communities must do to stop this road, go to his website www.stopthetollroad.com The website also has information on obtaining the black and yellow signs that you may have seen popping up in the neighborhood as well as petitions. At the meetings, he will go over basic toll road facts and develop a plan to stop the toll road to no where. This will include informing communities that the highway will not connect to I-85 and will dump 20,000 vehicles into the leafy Gastonia neighborhoods of York-Chester and Brookwood. They will have yards signs ready and petitions to hand out before the first public hearing scheduled 7 pm June 23 at Forestview High School. |
North Carolina Turnpike Authority - Garden Parkway ( Gaston East-West Connector project) Bill Toole's website - Stop the Toll Road Gaston Regional Chamber - Build The Garden Parkway Public Hearings and Pre-Hearing Open House scheduled to receive public comment on the Garden ParkwayComments on the Draft EIS may be submitted to Ms. Jennifer Harris, NCTA, at 1578 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1578, phone (919) 571-3000, or email gaston@ncturnpike.org. Citizens may also call the Project Hotline (800-475-6402). Comments should be submitted by July 17, 2009 in order to receive full consideration. Ms. Harris also advises that the Gaston East-West Connector project is planned to ultimately extend from I-85 west of Gastonia to I-485 near the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the ultimate planned project is addressed in the recently approved Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) (available for download at www.ncturnpike.org/projects/gaston/deis.asp). She states that all twelve of the Detailed Study Alternatives cross US 321 several miles south of the York Chester neighborhood, and none would directly impact our area. She explained that as is typical for large highway projects (e.g. I-485 in Charlotte, I-540 in Raleigh), the Gaston East-West Connector likely would be constructed in phases. Phasing is normally determined after the NEPA process is complete, and depends on funding available, construction prices, and right of way and other costs at the time construction is scheduled to begin. The first phase of the project likely would begin at I-485 and extend westward. A likely interim western project terminus would be US 321. The volume of traffic that would use US 321 to access an interim phase of the Gaston East-West Connector would depend on the year being evaluated. The NCTA intends to address traffic forecasts and operations for this interim phase in the Final EIS. The public comment period for the Draft EIS is open until July 17, 2009. There are Pre-Hearing Open Houses/Public Hearings scheduled for June 22-25, as listed on their website . She encourages submitting your written comments (through July 17) or oral comments at the Public Hearings (June 23 and 25). They intend to address any interim phasing questions as a part of the comment/response section of the Final EIS. When NCTA, FHWA, and NCDOT select a Preferred Alternative to move forward with, it will be for the entire project, as that is what is ultimately planned to be constructed. Any comments and concerns raised during the EIS process will be considered as the project moves forward into construction planning, which is when phasing is specifically addressed and determined. Click here to download the meeting announcement and contact information.
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