Conover and DOT officials discuss city's future

A rift between the city and the North Carolina Department of Transportation that widened with the closing of Exit 131 last year was concern enough for city Councilman Kyle Hayman to plan a face-to-face meeting with DOT officials in Raleigh.

"With all of the emotion that followed the closing of the Exit 131 ramps, I thought it would be a good idea to go down there, sit down with them and develop the rapport we need to get things done," Hayman said. "I thought we developed such a good relationship with the rail division; let's try to have that bleed over to the highway division."

The result was a "good, productive meeting," he said. Conover officials met with N.C. Secretary of Transportation Gene Conti, Deputy Secretary for Transit Jim Westmoreland, Chief Operating Officer Jim Trodden, Director of Preconstruction Deborah Barbour and Division Engineer Mike Holder on Tuesday.

Conover officials in the meeting, in addition to Hayman, were City Manager Donald Duncan, Public Works Director Jimmy Clark, Mayor Bruce Eckerd and Councilman Lee Moritz Jr., whom Hayman credits with helping develop the relationship with the DOT rail division.

Moritz, like Hayman, said he considered the meeting, which lasted for 45 minutes, a success.

"We were able to introduce Conover to his staff and departed the meeting agreeing to move forward in a spirit of partnership for the future," Moritz said.

Moritz called the meeting "a new beginning, one where we could shake hands and move forward."

The meeting, Hayman said, began with Conover officials voicing their desire to get the ramps re-opened.

"That was the first thing," Hayman said. "We didn't get any reaction when we asked, but they did take note of the request."

However, the bridge crossing over Interstate 40 at the closed exit is on the federally funded replacement list, slated for 2012 or 2013. Conover officials took the opportunity to make a couple requests regarding that project.

"We asked that the bridge construction include a pedestrian crossing and hangars for upgraded utilities," Moritz said.

Currently, water is carried in pipes under the bridge. Moritz said the hangars would run those pipes attached to the bottom of the bridge.

Another project discussed during the meeting was the continued effort to connect Tate Boulevard, SE, and Thornburg Drive. Tate Boulevard changes from four lanes to two lanes and back to four as it travels to Thornburg Drive, creating possible traffic hazards, Hayman said.

"We're trying to get all of that consistent (by widening the two-lane area) so we won't have the bottlenecking problem we have now," he said.

Moritz said the group also requested a study to determine the need for a traffic signal at the intersection of Fourth Street, SW, and N.C. 16. The idea would be to divert traffic from the heavily traveled highway before Conover Station, the development on the nearby Broyhill Property, is completed.

"This request is all about the safety of the citizens and helping the traffic flow," Moritz said.

The development on Broyhill is the result of the positive relationship between the city and NCDOT Rail.

The group of officials also met with project architects, Tise-Kiester Architects in Chapel Hill, at the firm's office Tuesday.

Don Tise, architect for the Broyhill job, showed the group renderings of his ideas for the renovation of the old Warlong Glove Factory.

Those drawings will be the center of a workshop for the council at 5 p.m. Monday. Hayman and Moritz said they hope the public will show up for the workshop, to be held at the Conover Police Department, to voice their opinions.

"It's becoming more of a reality and that's exciting," Hayman said. "I want to encourage folks to come out and see the potential for what we have."

The two councilmen said the project shows what officials from the city and DOT can accomplish. When DOT Rail named Conover as the designated stop on the future Western Passenger Rail service, the city then was qualified to compete, and receive, more than $2 million in state grant money for the renovation of the old factory building to a multi-modal transportation facility incorporating rail with taxi and bus service.

Hayman said he was impressed with the architect's plans.

"When this project is done, I think the citizens of Conover will be proud of what they have," he said.