Money put forth for study on proposed U.S. 70 flyover

The federal government has committed $500,000 to study a proposed U.S. 70 flyover to Cherry Point's Slocum gate, City Manager Jim Freeman told commissioners Monday night.

A consultant would be hired to do the study, which would include three designs as well as cost estimates for construction and acquisition of property. Once hired, the consultant would have 270 days to finish the study.

Havelock officials have been pushing for a "flyover" overpass that would exit off the eastbound lanes of U.S. 70, cross over westbound U.S. 70 and provide direct access to the Slocum gate without the need to go through the traffic light currently in place.

Despite the extension of the left-hand turn lane to access the Slocum gate, vehicles will sometimes get so backed up waiting to cross westbound U.S. 70 that the volume exceeds the turn lane, thus slowing eastbound traffic on U.S. 70 and creating a hazard, officials said.

"Anybody who goes down there between 7 and 8 in the morning can see what a problem it is," said Diane Miller, city spokeswoman.

Havelock officials have cited a high number of wrecks in the area as one reason for the proposal.

They also expect an increase in traffic from growth that is anticipated between Havelock and New Bern with the influx of about 1,300 new military personnel associated with a Marine Corps buildup and two Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet squadrons.

Officials from Havelock, Cherry Point and the N.C. Department of Transportation have been holding meetings on the proposal, meetings that Freeman told commissioners Monday night were "progressing quite nicely."

Miller said although city officials have expressed concern over the intersection, they don't have much of a say in what happens because U.S. 70 is maintained by DOT and the flyover would would link to a federal military installation. She said city officials would continue to attend meetings between Cherry Point and DOT to express opinions about the possible flyover.

Tyler Harris, deputy community plans and liaison officer at Cherry Point, gave Havelock City Manager Jim Freeman and DOT officials copies of a "scope of work" document that outlines the study.

It is to look at capacity of U.S. 70 and Slocum Road and impacts on the roads while considering military growth, seasonal traffic and environmental aspects to the project.