CHATHAM BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HONORS CCEC REQUEST 

The Chatham Board of Commissioners (BOC) at its July 19 meeting approved a special CCEC request. CCEC had earlier appealed to the NCDOT to extend the period for citizen comments on its US64 Corridor Study. When that appeal was denied, CCEC requested the BOC to give citizens a second chance by including their comments along with those of county boards and committees in its response to the NCDOT. 

CCEC appreciates the BOC’s willingness to enable Chatham citizens to voice their concern over the NCDOT US64 CORRIDOR STUDY and the subsequent short and long terms plans that would negatively impact the county. We now urge citizens to make the most of this second chance opportunity to address the NCDOT with their concerns. To assist in this process, we have updated our CCEC web site. Please visit our home page at www.chathamcitizens.org to access informational aids to assist you in communicating with the NCDOT. When completed, please email Melissa Guilbeau (Melissa.Guilbeau@chathamnc.org) with your letter as an attachment. All communications must be submitted by August 15. 

Along with past bulletins and other pertinent documents and links, you will also find a new series of NCDOT maps. These maps illustrate both the short and long term plans for changing US64 from the Wake/Chatham county line to the Pittsboro bypass. What they do not show is the long term plan for the section from Pittsboro to Siler City and beyond. However, even a look at the eastern Chatham section will present an alarming picture of what will become of western Chatham. 

The consequences for Chatham’s future are grave if the NCDOT is able to act on their studies and plans for the US64 Corridor:

• Imagine “I-64” as the premier super highway connecting the Capitol City in the east with the Queen City in the west.
• Imagine a big, bad, brawny cousin to the likes of I-40 and I-95 splitting Chatham in half.
• Imagine the unlucky consequence of massive clover leafs of concrete replacing fields of four-leaf clovers.
• Imagine walls of concrete sound barriers in back yards or back 40’s to (unsuccessfully) quiet the constant din of interstate traffic.
• Imagine Jordan Lake, the primary source of drinking water and recreational gem of the region further polluted and made less accessible.
• Imagine trying to access any place along the super slab, the intent of which is to limit access in order to keep traffic moving THROUGH Chatham and AROUND its towns.
• Imagine “Mom and Pop” businesses along US 64 as “endangered species” ultimately being obliterated like the carrier pigeon.
• Imagine the millions of dollars that will be spent to spoil a county’s own Vision, its Land Use and Development Plans and Economic Development Plans in order to enable highway planners and engineers to conduct their “ business as usual.”

Such imagining can become reality if citizens remain silent. Please make time to submit your letters to Melissa Guilbeau by August 15 for inclusion in the BOC response to the NCDOT.