The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

April 4, 2012

Too early to tell I-95 toll impact

Staff Writer Mayah Collins

TARBORO — There are many ongoing debates about how a proposed toll on I-95 would affect North Carolina communities and their businesses.

According to Edgecombe County Assistant Manager Eric Evans, it’s too early to estimate any impact a toll might have on the county.

"It's kind of hard to guess the impact that it's going to have,” he said. “Tolling roads in North Carolina is fairly new. It's not something that we see that often, whereas most states north of us have toll roads.

“It's difficult to predict the impact that it may have, because we have some people in our region who think it will have a negative impact and that it might cause people to want to take other routes through North Carolina. Some people think that it won't have as much as an impact, so it's really hard to tell at this point."

"We are all anxious to see what type of impact that it will have on us,” Evans continued. “Positive or negative, either way, it will effect us here. Even though I-95 does not touch Edgecombe County, a lot of people who travel through Edgecombe County are coming off Interstate 95 and the fact that we are located very close to the intersection of (U.S.) Highway 64 and Interstate 95 is very important to us in the county. We are trying to figure out our best guess as to what kind of impact it will have."

North Carolina is one of three states, along with Virginia and Missouri, that are considering tolling as a way to expand and upgrade interstates. In state, I-95 is 182 miles long from the South Carolina border to the Virginia state line. The current proposal would include a toll of $19.20 for cars traveling  the entire length of the highway. Trucks are projected to be charged three times as much if the plan is implemented.

According to North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), trucks account for about 23 percent of daily traffic on I-95. NCDOT says the proposed plan includes toll plazas placed at 20-mile intervals along the highway.

“We’ve done an extensive study of I-95 and it’s told us that we need to add lanes and reconstruct areas of the interstate in order to accommodate growth,” Roberto Canales, NCDOT’s coordinator of strategic initiatives, said. “While we have conditional approval to investigate tolling on I-95, we still have a lot of work to do before we make a recommendation on the best financial tool to pay for the work.”



 

Text Only
Local News
  • CRIME.jpg Two suspects arrested on 36 charges; third issued citation

    After executing a search warrant Thursday on a residence at 500 W. Johnston St. in Tarboro, police officers arrested two suspects for possessing a small amount of marijuana and issued a third suspect a citation for possessing a glass pipe to smoke the drugs.
    After the marijuana was found, officers notified two of the three suspects that they also had additional warrants on them from the department's "Spring Fling" drug campaign where they had sold marijuana to undercover officers.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • S.Herring.jpg Introductory Latin class beginning Tuesday

    Want a leg up in a medical terminology course? Anatomy? Physical science? Take a look at Latin, perhaps the best grounding for all education.
    Not convinced? Just ask Stephen Herring, instructor of religion, geography, and developmental studies at Edgecombe Community College (ECC). He will teach an Introductory Latin class beginning Tuesday. The class will meet at Fleming 218 on the Tarboro campus.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • DWI-Tests.jpg NTSB wants to lower DWI blood alcohol levels

    The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a bold set of targeted interventions to put the United States on course to eliminate alcohol-impaired related crashes. They have given recommendations that call for stronger laws, swifter enforcement and expanded use of technology.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Susan-Barnes-headshot.jpg Measles cases have state health officials concerned

    Twenty-three cases of the measles have been reported in North Carolina in a recent outbreak and has state health officials concerned.
    “It (measles) is a highly contagious disease that is spread in the air by coughing and sneezing,” said Susan Rogerson, nursing director at the Edgecombe County Health Department. Outbreaks of measles in the United States are rare because of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • MLK-Property.jpg County still looking for bids on 41 properties

    While county commissioners have accepted bids on seven foreclosure properties, a total of 41 others remain available for interested parties to submit bids.
    County Planning Director Brian Hassell said interested parties may submit bids for commissioners to consider. If a bid is approved and another party is interested, they may submit an upset bid.

    May 16, 2013 1 Photo

  • Buddy.jpg Scouts honor ‘Buddy’ Hooks

    Try as he might, master of ceremonies Dave Sharpe was unable to talk someone into telling an unexpected story on Ellis “Buddy” Hooks as Hooks was recognized as the 2013 Edgecombe County Distinguished Citizen Award recipient by the Boy Scouts of America.

    May 15, 2013 1 Photo

  • Sheriff_Knight.jpg Sheriff's Department to host junior academy

    The Edgecombe County Sheriff's Department will be hosting a junior academy for students ages 13-18 years old. Sheriff James Knight believes that this is the most important times of a juvenile's life and wants them to learn about the criminal justice system.

    May 15, 2013 1 Photo

  • Andrews.jpg Andrews assumes new position at ECPS Central Services

    John Farrelly, Superintendent of Edgecombe County Public Schools (ECPS), announced this week that Shawna Andrews has been named the Director of Middle Schools and Title I in the Educational Program Services Office at Central Services.
    Andrews, who most recently served as the Director of Elementary Schools and Title I, began her tenure with ECPS in 1995 as a math and science teacher at C.B. Martin Middle School. Following her completion of a Master’s in School Administration, she served as an administrative intern at G.W. Bulluck Elementary, SouthWest Edgecombe High School and Tarboro High School before being named an assistant principal at Tarboro High School in 2003.

    May 15, 2013 1 Photo

  • Big ‘Happening’ set for Tarboro Saturday

    At no time of the year is Tarboro’s Town Common more bustling with activity than the second Saturday in May. It’s that time of year again and the 43rd Annual Happening on the Common is set for 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday.
    “I think we’ve got a good day coming up,” said Carol Banks, event coordinator for the Edgecombe County Cultural Arts Council. “We’ve got record-breaking (number of) vendors. So far we’re up to 56.”

    May 13, 2013

  • Pinetops 300 kicks into gear this weekend

    One of the biggest community events in the southern part of Edgecombe County – the Pinetops 300 – is set for Friday and Saturday at its usual spot – 309 School St. at the ballpark in Pinetops. The truck and tractor pull, South Edgecombe Rural Fire Department’s fundraiser of the year, is a longstanding tradition.

    May 13, 2013