News-Record.com

Should have posted this last week, but click here to read the stroy.

N.C. Department of Transportation crews will close the right lane of I-85 South at the U.S. 29 bridge in Davidson County from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
The closure is to repair the bridge's concrete barrier rail, which was damaged in an earlier accident.

A preview of tomorrow's paper, which will include a map:

Driving in some parts of western Greensboro could become a bit complicated this fall as construction continues on the Urban Loop from Interstate 85 to Bryan Boulevard.

We have a hard enough time convincing HUMANS to use crosswalks. Why anyone thinks a few caribou and coyotes might yield the right of way to oncoming traffic is beyond me. I guess we'll find out.

THOMASVILLE - The Hoover Street railroad crossing in Thomasville will be permanently closed on Aug. 15.

The closure will follow the completion of a $3 million bridge over the Peace Street intersection with the Norfolk-Southern railroad tracks.

The project is part of a plan by developed in 1993 by the city of Thomasville and the N.C. Department of Transportation to eliminate hazardous conditions at nine railroad crossings in the heart of the city. As many as 35 freight trains and six passenger trains pass through Thomasville daily.

In addition to the improvements at Hoover and Peace streets, N.C. DOT has closed rail crossings at Boyles, Loftlin and College streets. An overpass was also constructed at Unity Street to further separate vehicle traffic from train traffic.

The state will post signs notifying motorists of the Hoover Street closure by the end of this week.

Work will begin on the following areas during the week of August 8:

RESURFACING, ASPHALT TOP PLACEMENT LOCATIONS

- Eagle Road from Beechcroft Drive to Stanley Road

- Flagstaff Court from Denver Drive to cul de sac

- Denver Drive from Sacramento Drive to Tulsa Drive

- Shanahan Court from Rehobeth Church Road to cul de sac

- Donegal Court from Donegal Drive to cul de sac

- Industrial Avenue from Pleasant Garden Road to Thurston Road

With hurricane season bearing down on us, I thought this article in the Charlotte Observer was interesting.

Before the first computer has even rolled off the Dell assembly line, Janice Collins has already seen more traffic along Union Cross Road.

With construction crews building the plant and widening nearby roads, she takes the back roads to avoid the work on her way home from her job as a clerk at the Old 311 Curb Market.

"It's kind of out of the way but it keeps me out of traffic," Collins said.

She may have to get used to those back roads.

The state plans to finish road construction at the end of August, and Dell plans to begin operations in mid-September. That will continue the dramatic change in Union Cross from a rural farming area to a major center of economic activity.

If you had billions of dollars, how would you split it up?

Of course, you would spend the money on yourself, family and friends. (OK. Maybe with that much money you might give a little bit to charity.)

Congress has faced a similar dilemma - how to split up billions that will be spent on the nation's transportation system through 2009.

And with each member looking out for his or her own state or district, it's no surprise the bill took two years to pass. But last week, Congress did manage to agree to spend $286.4 billion on highways, mass transit and safety. The bill is expected to be signed by the president Wednesday.

It's also no surprise that the bill has been criticized as pork-barrel spending with an estimated 5,700 pet projects included.

But don’t worry, the Triad certainly got its piece of the pie. (Feel free to start humming "The Jeffersons" theme song.)

This New York Times article (registration required) proves what many of us already knew - there are a lot of delayed flights out there.

And of course, we can't forget this article on speeding in today's paper from our fellow Fast Forward-er, Jason Hardin.

Stage Coach Trail will be closed permanently between West Friendly Avenue and Wagon Wheel Drive, so crews can begin construction on the Western Loop, beginning Thursday at approximately 8 a.m.

Detour: The signed detour route will be West Friendly Avenue to New Garden Road to Ballinger Road and in the reverse direction.

If you will be on Interstate 85 North in the next couple of hours, you might want to read this.

The permanent closure of Stage Coach Trail between West Friendly Avenue and Wagon Wheel Drive originally scheduled for Thursday has been postponed to 8 a.m. on Aug. 16 because of recent weather conditions.

Detour: West Friendly Avenue to New Garden Road to Ballinger Road and in the reverse direction.

The ramps to and from US 29 southbound at the Florida Street exit will be closed permanently at approximately 9 a.m. Monday.
Traffic will no longer be able to enter or exit US 29 southbound from Florida Street, via Eton Drive, as a result of this closure. Eton Drive will be closed just east of its intersection with Carlton Avenue.

HIGH POINT - Plans for widening a segment of Oakview Road will be scaled back to accommodate concerns from residents.

The city wanted to widen Oakview Road from Old Winston Road to Johnson Street by adding a center turn lane to the two-lane road for $4 million.

The widening was expected to affect about 100 properties, though none was likely to be relocated. But at a public meeting in April, many residents said the road does not need to be that wide. They were concerned the widening would take too much of their property.

"We feel like we needed to be responsive to that," Matt Carpenter, a city traffic engineer, said at a meeting Wednesday of the City Council's transportation committee.

South Elm-Eugene Street will be temporarily closed to through traffic between West Lakefield Drive and Old Treybrooke at 6 a.m. Aug. 16.
The closure is to construct roadway improvements that involve extensive grading and utility adjustments in the area. The affected roadway should reopen by 9 p.m. Aug. 29.

Detour: Traffic will be directed west on Vandalia Road, south on Randleman Road, east on Old Treybrooke Drive / Elmsley Drive and back to South Elm-Eugene Street. Northbound South Elm-Eugene Street traffic will follow the detour in the reverse direction.
Webster Road will be inaccessible via South Elm-Eugene Street. Motorists should access Webster Road via Randleman Road during this time.

Motorists are advised to use caution in this area and follow the signed detour route.

Sorry. This story should have posted yesterday.

I'm going to have to stop coming to work if gas prices get any higher.

I have to say they snuck up on me. It seemed like all of a sudden prices jumped about 20 cents.

Here's a story from Sunday's N&R on gas prices and one from the Seattle Times on why sky-high gas prices upset us so, yet price increases on other products are hardly noticed.

UPDATE: The Greensboro Transit Authority is kicking off its "Dump the Pump!" campaign today to encourage residents to use public transportation.

Emergency crews are responding to Alamance Church Road near Blakeshire Road on reports of an overturned dump truck. Scanner traffic indicates the truck overturned several times and emptied its load on the roadway. Watch for traffic delays in the area east of Forest Oaks.

The signal lights at the intersection of Gallimore Dairy Road and Market Street will not be in operation from approximately 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday.
Greensboro Police Officers will be on the scene directing traffic through the intersection while the signals are not in operation.
This is in order for crews to connect to a new signal light system due to the Gallimore Dairy Road Widening Project.

I have no problem with the TSA spotting my love handles using X-rays so long as they nab the guy behind me trying to sneak his switchblade onboard a plane. Why this is such a big deal is beyond me.

The ramps to and from US 29 southbound at the Sullivan Street exit will be closed permanently at 9 a.m. Monday.
Traffic will no longer be able to enter or exit US 29 southbound from Sullivan Street, via Lutheran Street, as a result of this closure.

Cedarwood Drive will be closed at its intersection with Guilford College Road from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday.
A signed detour route will be in place for motorists to follow using Thornwood Drive in order to access Cedarwood Drive.
This closure is due to the widening operation of Guilford College Road.

Due to construction at the Downtown Transportation Terminal site in High Point, the westbound lanes of East Commerce Avenue will be closed at South Hamilton Street for approximately two weeks.
Right turns from East Commerce Avenue onto South Hamilton Street can not be made.
Access to Commerce Court and The Forbidden City, the IHFC parking lots, and the City Hall parking lot on East Commerce Avenue will be maintained.
All exiting traffic will be required to travel eastbound on Commerce to Centennial Street.

My first car was a 1988 Pontiac 6000. It has a fond place in my heart, right next to the Pogo Ball and Atari 2600. Kids these days just don't appreciate simplicty. No... they have to have their Mustangs.

I doubt these same teens have much appreciation for fuel economy. Here's the full list.

Greensboro road crews will close all but one lane of traffic in each direction of Lees Chapel Road today and tomorrow "in the vicinity of 1809 Lees Chapel Road," according to a city press release. Motorists will be restricted between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. both days. Lane availability should return to normal on Friday, barring weather delays. Motorists are advised to use caution in the area and obey traffic control signs, signals and personnel.

Hilltop Road will be closed between Bridford Parkway and Stanley Road today through 5 p.m. Friday, so crews can place girders on the bridge being built for the Western Urban Loop and for storm sewer work.
Detour: Bridford Parkway to Wendover Avenue to Stanley Road to Hilltop Road and in the reverse direction. Local residents will be allowed access to their property at all times. All residents located within the limits of the closure will be required to access their residence from the Bridford Parkway end of the closure. Residents located on and adjacent to Ellery Court will be required to use Woodlyn Way for access to Hilltop Road and Bridford Parkway.

Groometown Road will be closed between Vandalia Road and High Point Road each night from midnight to 6 a.m. until Saturday.
This work is necessary in order to install girders for the bridge being constructed as part of the Western Urban Loop project.
Detour: High Point Road to Holden Road to Vandalia Road and in the reverse direction.

Construction will begin Monday on general roadway, sidewalk and utility improvements at the intersection of Battleground Avenue and Cotswold Avenue.
The right lane of southbound Battleground Avenue will be closed between 9 a.m.-4 p.m. for the majority of this construction, which is anticipated to last no more than 3 weeks.
This construction will include storm sewer improvements and the widening of approximately 95 feet of the southbound lane on the southwest corner of the intersection.

Motorists will be unable to negotiate u-turns into the southbound Battleground lanes at the intersection during this time.
Upon completion of this project, motorists that choose to make u-turns at this intersection will be able to do so with additional room provided by the intersection improvements.

It is feasible to build a new road connecting U.S. 311 to the Interstate 40 corridor at a cost of $193 million, according to an initial evaluation of the proposal.

The road - dubbed the Westside Thoroughfare - would accommodate growth in the center of the Triad. The original plans were proposed by the city of High Point and had the road running from Interstate 85 in Randolph County to U.S. 311.

To continue reading this story, click here.

The right lane of I-40 Westbound will be closed between NC 66 (Exit 203)and Union Cross Road Exit 201)from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday. The ramp to Union Cross Road will remain open.

From the N.C. Department of Transportation:

The bridge on Garrett Road over Matrimony Creek near Eden has been opened to traffic today. This bridge was damaged due to flooding caused by heavy rains experienced in June of 2004 and was closed so the bridge could be replaced. The letting of the project to replace the bridge was accelerated with construction starting in October of 2004.

From the City of Greensboro:

Two meetings meetings will be held Tuesday on the study of the Cedar Street area from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Both sessions are open to the public and will meet at the Weir-Jordan House (Greensboro Women's Club), 223 N. Edgeworth St.

Property owners, residents, businesses, and developers should attend the meetings to provide direction and share their thoughts for the next steps in improving the area, which is bounded by Battleground Avenue, Friendly Avenue, Eugene Street and Prescott Street.

The study of the Cedar Street area examines the:
- impact of existing zoning on development as well as land uses, historic preservation and residential quality
- way people move through the neighborhood (on foot, bike, car, or bus)
- new and proposed growth in the area and research ways to promote sustainable development

Northline Avenue will be temporarily closed to traffic between Pembroke and Hobbs roads beginning at 7 p.m. Friday.

The road is expected to reopen late afternoon on Sunday.

The road closing will allow the assembly of a mobile crane by Guy Turner Crane Services. During the closure, traffic will continue to have access to the K & W Cafeteria and the Grande Theatres.

The signed detour route for traffic will lead motorists south on Pembroke Road, west on Friendly Avenue, and north on Hobbs Road, back to Northline Avenue.

N.C. 109 between the Davidson/Forsyth County line and the I-40 interchange will be down to one lane some evenings for the next two weeks.

The work will be done between 7 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday nights through Sept. 8.

When I was in high school about a decade ago (gulp), being able to park on campus was practically priceless.

So a new program from the state to encourage teens to buckle up or lose their school parking privileges makes sense.

Locally, only Forsyth County schools are participating. I wonder if other schools in the Triad are considering it.

With school back in session, this is a good reminder for drivers, courtesy of the High Point Police Department:

Motorists should be reminded that with school back in session, traffic will increase with added automobiles, buses and pedestrians in and around schools.

The traffic officers have been directed to provide highly visible and directed patrol to school zones and to exercise a zero tolerance for speeding and other traffic violations in and around school zones.

If you haven't seen it, there is a new license plate to raise awareness of bicycling in North Carolina.

Click here for more information.

Lane closures will continue this weekend and Monday on Lees Chapel Road in the vicinity of 1809 Lees Chapel Road.

Only one lane of traffic will be open in each direction between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily.

The city of Greensboro should be finished with the work by Tuesday morning.

Here's the text of Saturday's Fast Forward column on "phantom" traffic jams.

A pretty cool graphic was done for the print edition, but it didn't make it online.

With Hurricane Katrina disrupting oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, analysts are estimating the price of gas will continue to increase this week.

Have you made it a point to fill up your car? Gas stations throughout the state reported running out of regular unleaded fuel. Have you run into any problems?

Please send your comments to adominello@news-record.com by 4 p.m. today. We may post your comments online and we may include your comments in a story we're working on for tomorrow's newspaper. If so, a reporter will call you to verify that the comments are indeed yours. Be sure to include your name and limit your comments to 250 words or less.

HIGH POINT - Construction on the missing link of a major commuter artery into north High Point's Piedmont Centre office park could begin in less than a month.

Click here to continue reading story.

With my Saturn in the shop, most likely headed for the used-car lot, I'm paying close attention to fuel economy on the new models I've shopped. Let's hope our president (and the Secret Service) at LEAST use their Discover cards for cash-back on the fuel they purchase. God knows they burn enough to keep a small armored division ready to go.

The N.C. Department of Transportation reports:

All southbound lanes of Interstate 85 at milemarker 70 near Salisbury are closed and traffic is backed up five to 10 miles due to a multi-vehicle accident involving two tractor trailers.

The accident is expected to be cleared by late evening Tuesday.

Motorists are being directed off I-85 Southbound at Exit 75, Jake Alexander Boulevard.

We may have avoided a hit from Hurricane Katrina, but the Triad will still get sucker-punched by gas prices.

The shutdown of oil platforms, refineries and pipelines along the Gulf Coast due to Katrina drove energy prices sharply higher Tuesday, all-but-guaranteeing a surge in pump prices in the days ahead. AAA of the Carolinas estimates hikes of as much as 20 cents per gallon in the next several days.

That led Triad drivers to head to the pump on Monday and Tuesday in an effort to save some money at a time when gas prices seemed to be spiraling upward by the hour.

But time may be running out. Some gas stations in Greensboro and Summerfield were charging $2.99 for super unleaded gas by late Tuesday afternoon.

Scenes from around the region:

- Drivers intent on beating rising gas prices descended upon the RaceWay station on North Main Street in High Point. The station ran out of various grades of gasoline three times on Monday.

"Everyone was filling up their cars and gas cans," said Nikki Makwana, the manager of the station.

The shortages lasted a couple of hours, and at $2.45 a gallon for regular unleaded gas Monday night, customers kept coming back to see when the pumps would be up again.

The News & Record asked readers to tell us what they were doing in the face of gas prices increasing, this time thanks to Hurricane Katrina.

Their responses are below. If you would like to talk to us about gas prices, please click on the "Comments" link.

... Last year, the oil companies posted record profits, and still obtained corporate tax breaks. It is time to stop with the political favors, and time for the President to stop getting tied up in the phrase "don't bite the hand that feeds you."
Jason E. Coley, Jamestown

The president has talked about not letting the hurricane flood victims be price-gouged, but we are being price-gouged over the rising gas cost. This increase is really hurting the small businesses in the area.
I can not believe that something is not being done especially with the oil companies showing their highest profit margins in years!!
This is just going to cause a great depression if something is not done soon.
Bryan Welch, Greensboro

Rotary Drive in High Point will be closed between Hillcrest and Lexington between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. beginning Tuesday for storm sewer improvements.

The work will take three weeks.