U.S. 220 widening planned
What: The state plans to widen 5.4 miles of U.S. 220 from Horse Pen Creek Road to just north of Winfree Road.
Why: The road needs to be widened to ease traffic congestion in the growing areas of north Greensboro and Summerfield. The accident rate along U.S. 220 is higher than the statewide average for similar roads.
How it will be widened: The road will be expanded from two lanes to four lanes, and the state will have to buy between 23 and 25 homes and businesses to make room for the widening.
The new road will be divided by a median with breaks for U-turns.
"You won't have to go too far to do a U-turn," said Eric Midkiff, an engineer for the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Where the median breaks will be: Breaks to allow for traffic to move in either direction would be located at Horse Pen Creek Road, the National Heritage Academy, Owls Roost Road, the visitors entrance for the Center for Creative Leadership, Strawberry Road, the southern end of Summerfield Road, N.C. 150/Auburn Road, Joseph Hoskins Road, N.C. 150/Scalesville Road and the northern end of Summerfield Road/Summer Haven Drive.
There will also be access for left turns only at Brandt Lake Court, a second entrance at the Center for Creative Leadership and Hamburg Mill Road.
Extras: The section from Horse Pen Creek Road to Owls Roost Road will include either sidewalks and a bike path or a single path that would be used by both bikes and pedestrians. The section that continues north to Winfree Road will include extra-wide shoulders so bikers could continue north.
A pedestrian path is also proposed to cross under U.S. 220 north of Summerfield Road to connect with the Lake Brandt Greenway.
Cost: About $38 million in state and federal money.
Timeline: Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2008.
What’s next: A final decision on the exact path of the road widening should occur by the end of the year, Midkiff said.
Information and to comment: Residents may write, call or e-mail Carl Goode or Ed Lewis at N.C. DOT. Comments will be accepted through Aug. 26.
•Phone: (919) 715-1515
•Fax: (919) 715-1501
•E-mail: cgoode@dot.state.nc.us or elewis@dot.state.nc.us
•Mail: Public Involvement and Communities Studies Group, N.C. DOT — Human Environment Unit, 1583 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1583.
Contact Amy Dominello at 883-4422, Ext. 248, or adominello@news-record.com