State transportation leaders give update on projects planned for Anson County

WADESBORO — Anson citizens had an opportunity to share feedback on the HWY 74 bypass and upcoming transportation projects planned throughout the county on Tuesday, Nov, 28.

Two public meetings were held by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and project manager consultants to capture ideas and opinions from around the county, one in Peachland from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and one later in the evening in Wadesboro from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Residents were encouraged to fill out a public survey and peruse several county maps demonstrating the proposed projects on display. Attendees were invited to speak with and ask questions of DOT staff, project managers, consultants, and some county commissioners who were also on hand.

An earlier feasibility study was conducted back in 2018, and the project has now progressed to the Planning and Data Collection phase. Throughout the planning stages of the projects, residents will have more opportunities to meet with project leaders and share their thoughts.

The right of way for the project is tentatively scheduled for summer of 2028, with construction on the bypass beginning summer of 2030.

Transportation Engineers Roger Castillo and Emily Stupka greeted attendees as they entered.

“We are taking look at Anson County’s needs. Where there is congestion and traffic problems, not only that, but also in regards to bicycle, pedestrian, and public transportation. Along the way we have identified those needs and made recommendations on the project to help address those issues,” informed Castillo at the Wadesboro meeting, held at the Wadesboro Fire Training Facility.

The HWY 74 Bypass project aims to construct a freeway that will bypass the town of Wadesboro and is included in the NCDOT’s 2024-2033 State Transportation Improvement Program. The bypass anticipates alleviating traffic congestion issues, while connecting critical transportation networks vital to commerce and economic growth in Anson County. The Western section of the bypass currently remains unfunded.

“Public involvement surveys help so citizens can basically zoom into the project they are interested in and give feedback like yes or no that they support the project, and allows residents to leave comments,” Stupka said. “Citizens can also leave their contact information at the end of the survey so we can send updates as the project progresses.”

“A lot of the feedback has just been people curious about what we have going on with the project, wanting to know more details,” interjected Castillo, adding there was quite a large turnout at the previous meeting held at Peachland’s Town Hall.

“The survey is open until mid December,” continued Castillo.

Project Manager on the 74 Bypass Carl Gibilaro added, “The study is just beginning; we are still in the early stages of trying to figure out where it is going to run. The lines have been drawn on the map and we have a study area and we are doing our data collection, which will probably be out to the public next spring to summer timeframe, with some options to present the public and get their reactions.”

Consultant Project Manager Andrea Dvorak-Grantz agrees, saying, “Right now we are just in the data collection stage and working on establishing the study area, talking to stakeholders and the public to get their input. We are taking the information we got from the feasibility study and then we are going to look at corridors within the study area so it may be to the north, we are not sure. We are going to look at all directions, north and south.”

“With the feasibility study,” adds Gibilaro, “that is one feasible option. It may not be the best option but it is an option. From there we will have to try and determine what will be the best option from within that range.”

Residents have until about mid-December to fill out surveys on the project and are encouraged to visit https://publicinput.com/ansoncounty-ctp#0 for more information and follow the link provided to participate in the survey.