News-Record.com

A pair of public hearings, one tonight in Randolph and one Tuesday at Southeast High School in Guilford County, have been postponed by the NCDOT.

The hearings were on a proposal by a trucking industry group to allow semi-trucks to haul two trailers along U.S. 421 from Chatham County up to I-40. Currenty the trucks are only allowed to have one trailer.

We'll let you know when they get re-scheduled.

Just a quick note to introduce myself as the blog's newest contributor and the News & Record's new transportation reporter. Not a newcomer, however, to the paper.

I've been with the News & Record going on 22 years and have covered everything from city government to Congress, the environment, the FedEx project, growth and development, video poker and illegal immigration.

Thanks to my predecessor on transportation coverage, Jonathan Jones, for leaving me a good foundation to build on. I can be reached here or 373-7100

Monday, March 13 through Thursday March 6: Portions of S. Main St. between Russell Ave. and Greenview Terrace will be closed between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily while city crews grade utility strips. Two blocks of the southbound lane will be closed at a time. Once the work is completed in the southbound lane, crews will begin working in the northbound lane.

Tuesday, March 14: A northbound lane in the 1500 block of North Main St. will be closed between Lexington Ave. and Rockspring Road while a city crew repairs a sewer main. The lane will be closed at midnight and reopened at noon.

You see him all the time on the streets of downtown Greensboro. And if you think parking meters are urban landscaping ornaments, he's the guy who will remind you otherwise.

Meet Stuart Clark, one of three parking enforcement officers who monitor Greensboro meters, garages and side streets for those of us who scoff at road markings or flashing "expired" markers, let alone handicap signs.

I had the pleasure of spending time with Clark on a warm, breezy Monday last week as he took me around downtown in one of the department's new Jeep Wranglers.

In the three hours we spent together, Clark, who carries a handheld electronic computer and printer, issued nearly 20 citations.

All but one were for $5, a penalty that makes him roll his eyes, especially when he shares stories.

So the fear of flying can cripple workers? I hope we're not talking about airline staff. The only thing I fear on flights is what those closet bathrooms will smell like if I need to, uh, relieve myself six miles over Virginia en route to Philly.

Speaking of flying, check out this cool site. You can track planes that are coming and going from PTIA.

Completely unrelated to transportation, I thought readers should check out how the N.C. Department of Labor, responding to a public information request from the News & Observer, turned over documents that included a copy of a story the N&O published in 2003. The labor department EDITED OUT names, places, groups, etc., from that story.

I hope -- pray, really -- that this makes the national wires and, if possible, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

... with their commercials.

These ads from an Oregon car dealer are pretty darn funny. They take a minute to load once you click on them, so be patient.

I particularly like the theft prevention system one.

If only I had one of those when I lived in D.C. -- ah, the broken window, the stolen books, good times.

NC DOT has installed new crossing gates in High Point at the intersection of West Point Ave and the Norfolk Southern tracks. The project cost $244,500 from a federal grant. Norfolk Southern and the city will split maintenance costs. Up to 50 trains a day travel through the crossing at speeds up to 79 mph.

In Greensboro, DOT plans to close one of the southbound lanes on US29 at the bridge over MLK Boulevard(US 421)from 8 tonight until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Wednesday night at 8, DOT also plans to close one of the westbound lanes at the bridge on I-40 over MLK and reopen it 6 a.m. Thursday.

The closures will allow for bridge repair and maintenance. DOT says "weather may impact time of closure."