Resident proposes state label road as scenic byway

COLUMBUS — A group of concerned residents out to “Save Highway 108 and Lynn” from a major road widening project has made an impact — at least locally — with one resident suggesting the state designate the roadway as a scenic byway.

The Polk County Board of Commissioners and Tryon Town Council sent letters to the North Carolina Department of Transportation to tone down the project in order to lessen the impact on residences and businesses.

Polk commissioners met Monday night, and heard from 16 residents during citizen comments on non-agenda items, with the vast majority speaking strongly against the NCDOT’s plan for Highway 108 between St. Luke’s Hospital and U.S. 176 in Tryon.

The plan is currently estimated at $19 million, with 12 turn lanes, two bridge replacements, widening and straightening of the highway, 4-foot shoulders and the relocation of six businesses and four homes. Local residents say the project will affect an even greater number of businesses because there are multiple establishments located in shopping centers impacted by the proposed construction.

Residents against the plan showed up in bright green “Save Hwy. 108 and Lynn” T-shirts, with most speaking of the rural atmosphere the highway brings, historical homes and trees, businesses that would be affected, and the impact on downtown Tryon because of years of construction.

Columbus’ Eve Ray mentioned that the road should be designated a scenic byway. The idea garnered cheers and applause from the audience.

She said the state is pushing for bike lanes here when there is no need for them.

She quoted the NCDOT’s website about having 60 scenic byways in the state, to give visitors and residents “a chance to experience a bit of North Carolina history, geography and breathtaking scenery, while raising awareness for the protection and preservation of these treasures.”

NCDOT’s page also said scenic byways are routes selected as safe and interesting alternates to the faster paced and commercial areas on the state’s major highways and interstates, Ray said.

“Isn’t that what Highway 108 is?” Ray asked. “A safe and interesting alternative to the faster paced and commercial areas. Obviously, it is.”

Ray said officials seem intent on forcing bike lanes on the rural area, whether they are wanted or not.

“Their plan is wholly inappropriate for our area,” she said. “In fact, the plan would be a death of our community and our peaceful, slow-paced lifestyle. This wonderful, idyllic, rural village needs to be preserved, not destroyed by bike lanes and turning lanes and new bridges. A scenic byway designation would serve to protect our area from unnecessary, unwanted and inappropriate changes.”

Ray also said if state comes back, “we need to continue to refuse it.”

“We’ve got a good thing here, and we don’t want anyone messing with it,” she said.

Polk County Manager Marche Pittman said he has received numerous phone calls and emails, and has contacted Brian Burch, NCDOT project engineer, to discuss a modification of the project so it does not impact citizens and businesses.

Commissioners decided to send a letter to the NCDOT.

“While investment in our community to maintain our roads is welcome, we do not want to see our businesses or residents impacted from a construction project in a harmful way,” the letter states. “We know that Polk County roads need to be maintained and sometimes enhanced, however, we believe that a very thorough evaluation of impacts should always be the guide to determine the viability of a specific project.

“Specifically, we are asking that you review the plans for [Highway] 108 between Tryon and Columbus to figure out a better way of designing the road to eliminate impacts on surrounding property owners. Further, we would like for you to consider the rural landscape and atmosphere in Polk County and apply that character to your proposal. Please expedite this review, and let’s work together to find a plan that will be beneficial to all.”

Since the NCDOT revealed the new plans for the widening of approximately 3 miles of Highway 108 on April 24, a local group opposing the project has formed.

A rally was held last week at Foothills Wellness Center in Lynn, which drew about 250 people. According to Melissa LeRoy, an employee of the wellness center, as of Monday, a petition to the state has 1,655 signatures. 

Dr. Joe Picone, owner of the Foothills Wellness Center, told commissioners the current plan is an attack on the area with a “sledgehammer.”

He asked why turn lanes would be needed if there would be no businesses to turn into. He said the population has not grown as rapidly as predicted, and traffic counts have gone down.

Speaking of Tryon, Picone said, “if you rip this up for two to three years, it will be a ghost town.”

F.K. McFarland, of Tryon, said he is often asked what keeps him up at night.

“This is it,” McFarland said. “This project makes me physically ill.”

McFarland said he has lived in this community his entire life and has never experienced any traffic congestion between Hospital Drive and Tryon, unless there is roadwork.

The town of Tryon also sent a letter to NCDOT.

“The Tryon Town Council respectfully requests that the NCDOT re-visit, re-examine, and revise the proposed Polk County TIP Project No. R-5838, giving due consideration to the voiced concerns of the local citizens, property owners and business owners that would be affected by R-5838’s implementation,” Tryon’s letter states. “Subsequent to the 24 April public reveal of Polk County TIP Project No. R-5838 at the Tryon Depot, commissioners of Tryon Town Council have received an extraordinary number of personal contacts from both Tryon citizens and its neighboring residents in Lynn and beyond.”

Tryon’s letter said there are common threads of citizens concerns, including a significant altering of the rural quality of Highway 108, then encroachment upon and even removal of structures and properties, some of which possess local historic significance and problematic statistical support data that does not presently bear up under scrutiny.

The town said Tryon recognizes that the project is a proposal to facilitate speculated future transportation growth, and that the planning processes by the Isothermal Rural Planning Organization and the NCDOT has been ongoing for 10 years and is a needful part of responsible government and leadership.

“However, in view of the largely negative public response to the present plan, and in the interest of both sustaining goodwill and building broad, proactive citizen support in both Tryon and Polk County, the Tryon Town Council requests a general reconsideration of Polk County TIP Project No. R-5838, with appropriate revisions to the plan as the tenor of public commentary yields,” Tryon’s letter states.