Windsor bypass, last section of new U.S. 17, opens in N.C.

WINDSOR

Long-standing efforts to improve state roads from Hampton Roads to Raleigh hit a milestone this past week when the last widened section of U.S. 17 in North Carolina opened to traffic.

The completion of the Windsor bypass establishes a four-lane highway from the state line in Camden County to U.S. 64 in Williamston.

From there, the highway remains four lanes all the way into Raleigh.

"The link around Windsor was the last piece in North Carolina," said Windsor Mayor Bob Spivey.

The remaining portion of the plan, he said, is to eliminate a bottleneck in Chesapeake on Dominion Boulevard that leads to the Steel Bridge and Interstates 64 and 464.

Spivey credited the original plan to former U.S. Sen. Terry Sanford, D-N.C., who proposed a $1.1 billion superhighway between the two metropolitan areas in 1991.

The Windsor bypass appears to be welcomed by drivers and town officials alike.

Prior to its opening, traffic on U.S. 17 was forced into the town of Windsor, past mostly residential neighborhoods. Nearing the downtown area, a light frequently halted traffic that needed to turn left at Water Street to continue on U.S. 17 South.

"It's relieved congestion downtown," said Bertie County Manager Zee Lamb. "You can see a difference already."

The 9.2-mile bypass stretches from King Street at the north end to the Windsor town limits on the south.

Though the bypass redirects traffic out of downtown, it does lead drivers through a commercial area with stores, fast-food restaurants and gas stations.

Spivey credited the bypass with at least 50 new jobs.

Four businesses are opening soon, including a Bojangles' restaurant next month. He said Bojangles' would not have come in without the road improvement.

"We've been very blessed and pleased with the way it's developed," he said.

Spivey said more economic development options are on the drawing board, but he declined to offer specifics.

The $63.8 million project included making improvements to the bypass intersections with U.S. 13, Grabtown Road and N.C. 308/Sterlingworth Street. Interchanges at King Street and Wakelon Road also provide access.

Construction began in February 2006 and was completed five months early.

The project was originally scheduled to be done three years from now.

"It's been grinding through," Spivey said.

Though the road opened to traffic this past week, some construction will continue through most of July.

At the north end, crews are completing the widening where U.S. 17 used to turn off into Windsor. Now that the bypass is open, traffic can be routed off the old road and crews can finish the work, said Bob Capehart, division construction engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

That work should be completed before the July Fourth holiday. Other minor items will not have an effect on traffic, he said, and that work should be complete by mid-July.

Lauren King, (252) 338-2413, lauren.king@pilotonline.com