New highway threatens to displace Durham property owners
“The nearly $200 million project will have eight lanes to connect N.C. Highway 147 and U.S. Highway 70. The connector and related widening will tie in Interstate 85 from the north to Interstate 40 and beyond. It will also ease heavy truck traffic on downtown Durham streets.
If land acquisition goes as planned, East End Connector construction is set to begin in about two years.
“This is the last missing link that ties all this together with each other and with I-85. It’s a critical link for our freeway system. We need it for our future,” said Joe Milazzo, with the Regional Transportation Alliance. “It’s been the top priority of the City of Durham, Durham County, Durham Metro Planners (and) the Durham Chamber.”
The progress comes at a price. Just south of East End Avenue is Durham’s Hayestown community. More than 150 parcels of land will be impacted by the connector. Twenty-one homes and 15 businesses must go.
Rev. Sylvester Williams said he believes nothing good can come from the project.
“These are places where African-Americans have historically lived in the city of Durham. They’re all being displaced,” he said.
Jim Lindsley, who owns a waterproofing business, will see a third of his property shaved off by an expanded cloverleaf right-of-way. He says he wishes the DOT would have considered alternative ideas.”
WRAL.com 20 September 2012.