Tryon commissioners sign final letter to kill proposed widening plan

TRYON — Letters from the town of Tryon should be the final nail in the coffin of what would have been the widening of Highway 108 between Columbus and Tryon. 

The Tryon Town Council met Thursday and signed letters to both the Isothermal Rural Planning Organization and the North Carolina Department of Transportation intended to help end the controversial plan, which would have displaced several residences and businesses located between the two towns.

The town’s letter to the RPO says Tryon withdraws its support of Transportation Improvement Project R-5838 within the municipal limits, and asks that the RPO remove its support as well. 

The letter to the NCDOT says the town has overwhelming concerns with the project. 

“We feel that the altering of [Highway] 108 will ruin the ‘rural’ quality and create significant issues for those depending on the highway for their livelihood,” states the town’s letter. “Residences and businesses alike will see encroachment and even removal of structures that we do not feel is warranted
or wanted. 

“In view of the largely negative public response for the project, we formally ask that the NCDOT implement the ‘No Build Alternative’ to TIP Project No. R-5838.” 

Tryon’s reading of the letters gained a round of applause from a crowd attending wearing “Save Hwy 108 and Lynn” T-shirts. 

Tryon is the third and final local government to send letters opposing the project. The project was proposed in April by the NCDOT, and included adding 12 turn lanes to the 3-mile stretch between St. Luke’s Hospital and the intersection of Highway 108 and U.S. 176 in Tryon. The plan included the relocation of four commercial buildings containing multiple businesses, and six homes. 

The Save Hwy 108 group formed quickly, held a rally, received more than 2,300 signatures on a petition, attended multiple meetings and made calls and sent emails to state and local officials to stop the project. 

The Polk County Board of Commissioners signed a “No Build Alternative” letter, which essentially stopped the project in the county portion of the proposed area. RPO and NCDOT officials said in order to stop the project completely, the towns of Columbus and Tryon would have to decide what they wanted done in their town limits. 

Columbus signed a letter last Thursday asking that only a sidewalk be included in Columbus Town Limits between St. Luke’s Hospital and the Polk County Library. Columbus also asked NCDOT to move the sidewalk plan to Phase II of a project, which will make improvements from St. Luke’s Hospital to Walker Street downtown. 

The R-5838 project was included on the state’s State Traffic Improvement Plan, and will be recommended for removal from the plan now that Tryon has made its decision. 

“We are here to thank the commissioners for ensuring Phase I of Highway 108 expansion is officially put to rest,” said Olivia Whiteside, of Lynn. 

Whiteside said by signing the letter, local officials have demonstrated that they, like their constituents, value the importance of a community that can grow and expand in peace, and in a way consistent with the community’s values. 

“Thank you guys very much for going down in history,” Whiteside said. 

Dorothy Easley, who lives in a 100-year old house just outside Tryon limits, said Tryon officials were the first to sign a letter against the project, and it is only appropriate that Tryon be the final board to kill the project. 

Wim Woody, of Tryon, said the project is now over. He asked town officials to take the opportunity to talk to the people with the state department because they spent a lot of money
for naught. 

Woody said if the state would have come to the town prior to spending money on surveys and engineers, the resources could have been saved. 

“Thank you again for bringing it through,” Woody said. 

Teresa Pack Pate said she is a native of the county for 65 years. 

“Never in my life have I ever been more proud of where I live in Polk County,” Pate said.