Boone commits funds for 421
By Frank Ruggiero

The Boone Town Council has paved the way for progress on the U.S. 421 widening with a $1.2 million commitment for utility upgrades.

Council members took action at their annual retreat Friday, Feb. 20, having learned such an agreement would be necessary for the N.C. Department of Transportation to open the project for construction bids.

Drawn from funds presently committed to other town projects, including the acquisition of land for the new raw water intake, improvement of the Hunting Hills Lane park and the Howard Street revitalization project, the $1.2 million is composed of approximate sums to the tune of $780,000 toward utility relocation, namely water and sewer; $77,000 for utility adjustment, namely sidewalks leading to the new Watauga High School; and $300,000 for street lights and other amenities, such as fencing and stone facades for retaining walls.

The Howard Street fund would lose $168,661 toward the 421 widening.

The project, designated 4020, would see the widening of U.S. 421 from Hardin Street to N.C. 194, modifying the four-lane roadway to a six-lane divided highway.

As of May 2008, the 1.1 mile project weighed in at a grand total of $34.8 million, including right-of-way acquisition and construction.

In the process, one residential property owner and 65 residential tenants will be displaced, as well as nine business owners and 21 business tenants.

Council members were reluctant to draw funding from the Howard Street revitalization project, which is intended to beautify the downtown roadway by incorporating one-way and two-way streets to provide additional parking and pedestrian access, while placing utilities underground.

Under the new scheme, Howard Street would run one way from Depot Street to Water Street, and two ways from Depot Street to Appalachian Street, with sidewalks on both sides of the road, benches, bicycle racks and a kiosk.

Council member Rennie Brantz observed that the Howard Street funding is sitting stagnant, with progress at a virtual standstill as the town attempts to gather right-of-way easements necessary for the project.

“I hate to (draw funds from the Howard Street project), but I don’t know where else,” council member Stephen Phillips said.

Council member Liz Aycock agreed, noting that the Howard Street project would result in increased taxes for Boone citizens, which she called an unfair burden in the economy’s weakened state. The tax increase, which would fund debt services, was set at 3 to 3.5 cents, based on 2008-09 estimates.

Mayor pro tem Lynne Mason was also hesitant, considering $1 million in Howard Street funding was already diverted toward the creation of a new raw water intake.

Aycock expressed frustration with the project’s lack of progress, and Phillips said somebody must take charge in the situation to acquire remaining right-of-way easements.

“We’re ready to go, pending (property owners’) cooperation,” Mason said, suggesting condemnation of easements for those holding out. “If people don’t want to do it on a voluntary basis, which has given them the opportunity to, at least, negotiate to a certain point … I think it would be shortsighted on our part.”

The right-of-way acquisition process has been pending since July 2006. In the meantime, the council approved an appropriation of $25,000 toward engineering costs from the W.K. Dickson firm, with which the town had contracted for the project, for natural gas coordination, a redesign of alley utilities, the Kraut Creek Committee’s suggested best management practices, plan and specification updates, and streetscape revisions near ECR Software.

The funding was unanimously approved, on condition that Boone’s community appearance standards are implemented into the design.