May 17, 2006

Published in Wake Forest, NC

            The total length of dirt streets is 11,001 feet or 2.08 miles.

            Commissioner Margaret Stinnett had asked a report about gravel streets be on Tuesday night’s agenda, partly because of concern over the traffic on Mangum and Carter streets caused by the new restaurants at the intersection of Carter and South Main Street. “Those two particular dirt roads have become very busy roads,” she said.

            “We as a town have probably created a problem for these residents, so I’m all for you finding the money to do it [pave the streets],” Stinnett said.

            The list of dirt roads caused Commissioner Frank Drake to groan and hold his head. “That to me is no different than outhouses. It is benighted.”

            Mayor Vivian Jones, who raised concerns about the unpaved streets during the January retreat and had promised to report about ways to pay for paving later this spring, said there was more involved in asking for a bond issue or pulling funds from the town budget or capital reserve.

            “You have other streets that have been paved where the residents paid for the paving. It might displease those who have paid a good bit if you start paving everybody else’s street for nothing,” Jones said.

            “The residents of Spring Forest Road would be down here raising Cain,” Town Manager Mark Williams said because they had to pay for their street to be paved under the town’s policy of assessing a third of the cost to the residents on each side with the town paying the final third.

            “My suggestion, if you are interested in paving two miles of unpaved streets, is to suggest another bond issue and let the voters tell you whether they want to break with tradition,” Williams said.

            The town street department does apply calcium chloride to the dirt streets to help keep the dust down but it can wash off during rainstorms.

            (The list of unpaved streets is at the end of this article.)

            In other street matters, Drake said he had had complaints from Mill Village residents that large trucks are using the Brick Street railroad crossing and going through the village to avoid the underpass. There is a sign saying no through trucks but it is only visible after a vehicle turns onto Brick Street. Police Major Jeff Leonard, who was in the audience, said the sign could be relocated and they would coordinate more enforcement. “We go out when we have a complaint, but you can sit out there for four or five hours without any trucks.”

            The town has several streets that have been blocked to keep construction traffic from existing neighborhoods, and one may be unblocked soon. Engineering Director Eric Keravuori said Olwyn Parish residents are finding it impossible to make a left on South Main Street and are willing to collect names on a petition to open Selsey Drive. Residents in Pemberley subdivision are also asking the barriers be removed.

            The unpaved streets are:

            -- 394 feet of South Allen between Cardinal Hills and Deacons Ridge subdivision

            -- 881 feet of Brewer Circle off North Allen Road

            -- 731 feet of Caddell Street between Taylor and Spring streets

            -- 196 feet of Cameron Street off Carter Street

            -- 488 feet of Carter Street from Mangum Street to Cameron Street

            -- 122 feet of Dunn Street from South Main Street to its end at the railroad

            -- 759 feet of Farm Road from South Main Street to its end

            -- 223 feet of Farm Ridge Road off Farm Road

            -- 824 feet of Highland Drive between Windsor Drive and Forestville Road

            -- 306 feet of Hill Street from Crowder Street to its end

            -- 531 feet of Hope Street from Durham Road (N.C. 98) to a private loop

            -- 289 feet of East Jones Avenue from Brooks Street to its end

            -- 469 feet of East Juniper Avenue from North Main Street to its end at the railroad

            -- 645 feet of Mangum Street from Carter Street to Ligon Mill Road

            -- 501 feet of Park Avenue from Oak Avenue to Chestnut Street

            -- 246 feet of Pineview Drive from Woodland Avenue to its end

            -- 547 feet of Rayburn Avenue from Woodland to its end

            -- 1,230 feet of Spring Valley Road from U.S. 1-A (South Main) to its end

            -- 801 feet of East Sycamore from South Main Street to South White Street

            -- 160 feet of East Walnut from North Main Street to its end at the railroad

            -- 406 feet of West Walnut from North College Street to North Main Street

            -- 252 feet of North Wingate Street from Chestnut Street to the corporate limit