R-2577 US 158 Improvements_Post DPM meeting minutes_draft 11-22-2017.docx

ROY COOPER
GOVERNOR
MEMO TO:
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SUBJECT:
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
7AMES H. TROGDON, III
SECRETARY
Post Hearing Meeting Attendees
Bryan Key, PE
Karen Reynolds
Central Project Delivery Team
December 7, 2017
Project: 37405.1.1, (R-2577ABC) Forsyth and Guilford Counties
US 158 Improvements from north of US 42UI-40 Business in
Forsyth County to US 220 (I-73) in Guilford County
Design Public Meeting (DPM) Post-Meeting Minutes
A DPM post-meeting was held in the Structure Design conference room at 10:00 am on
Thursday, November 30, 2017, to discuss comments received at and after the design public
meetings that were held for the subject project. The first meeting was held on Tuesday,
October 24, 2017, at the Gospel Light Baptist Church located at 890 Wallcertown Guthrie
Road in Walkertown. The second meeting was held on October 26, 2017, at the Stokesdale
Town Hall at 8325 Angel-Pardue Road in Stokesdale. Both meetings were informal drop-in
style meetings, held from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, with the same information and maps
presented at both meetings.
Approximately 330 people attended the first meeting in Walkertown, and 357 people
attended the second meeting in Stokesdale. A total of 166 comments were submitted.
Comments were submitted at the meetings, mailed-in after the meetings, submitted via e-
mail, and submitted via the project website. Several people called in before and after the
meetings to discuss the project with NCDOT staff and to voice their concerns.
AECOM has prepared a comment-response summary for all of the comments that were
received during the comment period, which ended on November 10, 2017 (see
Attachment A). Below is a summary of the issues and concerns that were raised regarding
the project.
Superstreet Restricted Access
o Dangerous — people feel that U-turn movements are unsafe especially for
school and church buses, boat trailers, large trucks, and emergency
vehicles/firetrucks.
o Inconvenient — project will create longer travel distances and increased
commute times.
MailingAddress: Telephone: [phone] Location:
NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 1000 BIRCH RIDGE DRIVE
CENTRAL PROJECT DELIVERY RALEIGH, NC 27610
1582 MAIL SERVICE CENTER T�ebsite: www.ncdot.gov
RALEIGH, NC 27699-1582

Page 2 of 10
o Poor access will lower home values.
o Restricted access will cause decline in businesses.
o Restrictive access will cause more congestion at side streets and entrances to
neighborhoods.
o Safety, inconvenience, poor access were concerns expressed by residents in
the High Knoll Neighborhood, as well as the neighborhoods off of Stanley
Ave and Stanley Park Ave, due to restricted access. Do not want right-in,
right-out.
Response: NCDOT staff has been working with residents to explain how access to their
properties will change as a result of the proposed project. Restricting crossing
movements with the median and limiting crossover and U-turn locations reduces the
number of confZict points and focuses them in the safest practical locations. Access to
all side streets and neighborhoods will be maintained during construction. At least one
access per property will be provided along tIS 158, with a few exceptions: 1) properties
near the proposed interchanges (proposed Winston Salem Northern Beltway, and the
proposed interchange for R-2577C Alternative 3 and NC 68), and 2) properties
adjacent to the turn-around locations where access will not be allowed. The turn-
around bulbs for U-turns will be able to accommodate large tractor trailers and large
farming equipment. Property owners will be notified by NCDOT if access to their
property will change as a result of the project after right of way acquisition begins.
Right of way acquisition is currently in 2020 for Section A of the project and 2024 for
Section B. Section C is currently not funded for right of way acquisition. No control of
access is proposed from the beginning of the project to the proposed Winston-Salem
North Beltway interchange (except at U-turn locations).
• Safety
o Concerned about current safety at the Vance Road/Belews Creek Road
intersection and US 158 — want a stop light installed now and not wait for
project.
o Visibility concerns near Stanley Ave, requesting a stop light at Stanley Ave.
o Request to realign Gaither Road and Old Belews Creek Road intersection
with US 158 and add a stop light instead of what is currently proposed.
o Requests that speed limit between Beltway and NC 66 be 45 mph.
o Request to reduce current speed limit on Ellison Road.
o U-turns will create safety hazards.
o Project will increase truck traffic at high rates of speed.
Response: The design speed for the proposed project varies between SO and 60 miles
per hour (mph). The posted speed limit will be between 45 and SS mph. Concerns
regarding posted speed will be taken into consideration as the project is further
developed. Requests for speed limit reductions on existing streets are considered by the
NCDOT Division offices.
The proposed project will address visibility concerns as the vertical curves will be
fZattened and the horizontal curves will be straightened as per current design
standards. Locations for the proposed U-turn bulbs are strategically placed with
adequate sight distance and designed with enough space so that large trucks, buses,
boat trailers, emergency vehicles, and farming equipment can safely make a U-turn.

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Requests for installing stop lights at specific intersections, prior to construction of the
proposed project, or as part of the proposed project, will be considered.
Emergency Response
o Concerned about emergency access at U-turns. We have larger vehicles with
larger turning radius than most vehicles. Also concerned about water points
where hydrants are on opposite sides of divided highway.
o Increased response time due to median and restricted access/superstreets.
Response: Concerns regarding emergency vehicle access and response will be taken
into consideration as the project is further developed. Emergency vehicles will be able
to cross over the proposed grass median at any location along the proposed project, if
it is necessary, except for areas where guardrail will be installed.
• U-Turn bulb locations
Several concerns were raised about the current locations shown for the proposed U-
turn bulbs and requests were made to either move or consider adding U-turn bulbs:
o Near station 70+00 — property owner of parcel # 268 wants NCDOT to buy
entire property. Current design shown has full control of access stopping in
front of the parcel, but not covering it completely.
o Near station 127+00 - investigate U-turn bulb for eastbound US 158 traffic
around station 127+00, west of Harvest Baptist Church and westbound
US 158/Old Belews Creek Road U-turn bulb. There are a lot of homes
located off Stanley Avenue, Angel Drive, and Stanley Park Road that would
either have to make a U-turn at the Old Belews Creek Road leftover or go
all the way through the interchange to the Darrow Road U-turn bulb. This is
a long distance and could deter the performance of the Old Belews Creek
Road leftover and/or the interchange.
o Near station 575+00 — request to move U-turn bulb at Piney Grove further
east to just before lake to avoid extra travel distance.
o Request for an additional U-turn bulb between Darrow Road and NC 66 for
traffic wanting to go west towards Winston-Salem.
o Request for additional U-turn bulb between Old Greensboro Road and
Gaither Road.
o Remove U-turn bulb at Old Belews Creek Road for westbound traffic due to
safety concerns, high travel speeds, and poor sight distance.
o Angel family farm at end of Angel-Purdue Road will be bisected by
proposed R-2577C Alternative 2(Sourthern). How will they get harvesting
machinery from the north to the south side?
Response: The U-turn bulb turn-around locations will be further evaluated based on
the comments received and will be finalized during final design once hydraulic designs
and utility relocation plans have been finalized. Consideration will be given for adding
a U-turn bulb near Station 127+00 for travelers needing to go west towards Winston-
Salem (i. e. creating back-to-back U-turn bulbs as one is already proposed for travelers
needing to go eastbound). Consideration will also be given for adding another U-turn
bulb just west of Belews Lake crossing. Access concerns for getting harvesting

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equipment across the proposed highway for the Angel farm at the end of Angel-Purdue
Road will be further investigated and a formal response will be provided to Mr. Angel
• Noise
o Noise impacts will affect neighborhoods and wildlife.
o Noise walls are needed.
Response: NCDOT is currently conducting a Traffic Noise Analysis for the proposed
project that will identify potential noise study areas along the project that meet
preliminary feasible and reasonable criteria found in the 2016 NCDOT Traffic Noise
Policy. A more detailed analysis will be completed during project final design, at
which point the location of noise barriers will be decided. Certain property owners and
tenants near the proposed barriers will be solicited to obtain their preferences for or
against construction of the barriers. In accordance with NCDOT Traffic Noise Policy,
the NCDOT is not responsible for evaluating or implementing any noise barriers to
protect developed lands for which building permits were not issued before the Date of
Public Knowledge. The Date of Public Knowledge of the proposed highway project will
be the approval date of the State Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant
Impact (State EA/FONSI). For development occurring after this date, local governing
bodies are responsible to ensure that noise compatible designs are utilized along the
proposed facility.
Property Values and Right of Way Acquisition
o Concerns that home values will decrease due to increased traffic, noise,
restrictive access, lower quality of life.
o Concern about not being able to sell home until project is constructed.
o Requests for NCDOT to buy entire property:
■ Parcel #s 102, 268
■ 9157 US 158 (no parcel #)
o Requests to not impact properties that have been in family for generations
(6900 US Hwy 158, 5924 Reidsville Road), as well as a family farm and
roadside stand (5938 Reidsville Road) that will be impacted.
o Concerned about impacts to Providence North subdivision off of US-158
and have concerns for parcels 890 and 869 with respect to Alternative 3.
Response: The R-2577 roadway design plans are not final. Efforts will be made to
reduce the impacts to properties along US 158, during the final design phase of
R-2577.
NCDOT Right-of-Way agents will work with the public during the right of way
acquisition phase. Impacted citizens will be contacted starting in 2020 for Section A
and 2024 for Section B of the project. Further assistance may be obtained by
contacting the NCDOT Highway Division 7 Right-of-Way office in Greensboro at (336)
334-351 S for properties located in Guilford County, or contacting the NCDOT Division
9 Right-of-Way office in Winston-Salem at [phone] for properties located in
Forsyth County. Additional right-of-way acquisition assistance information is available
on the "U.S. 158 (Reidsville Road) Improvements" webpage, on the NCDOT website at
htt�s: //www. ncdot.�/�roiects/ZIS'158ReidsvilleRoad/

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Historic Properties
o Edgewood Baptist Church is listed as a historic property on NCDOT's
maps, but the church does not have this designation. Please contact us to
discuss this issue. We have never filed for such designation.
o Edgewood Baptist Church & Churchland Avenue - project will totally
destroy church with the way NCDOT has proposed.
Response: NCDOT conducted a survey of potentially historic properties pursuant to 36
CFR Section 800.4(b) that might be affected by the proposed project. Edgewood Baptist
Church was found eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places under
Criterion C for architecture because of its exceptional importance as a distinctive
example of a religious facility built in the modernist style in the Winston-Salem area.
This determination is a result of a requirement of state and federal laws to evaluate
potentially historic properties and affords those properties special consideration when
federal funding or federal permits are required. Additional coordination with the North
Carolina State Historic Preservation Office will be completed to minimize and mitigate
impacts to the church.
• General design concerns, suggestions, and requests
o Construct a bridge over NC 66 on US 158 or construct a bridge over US 158
on NC 66.
o Extend Beeson Dairy Road to Reidsville Road due to awkward turn
movement. Reverse design and have Old Belews Creek Road T-into Beeson
Dairy Road.
o Oppose superstreet design at NC 66.
o Concerned about intersections of US 158 and Darrow Road/Old Belews
Creek Road because it is a busy intersection and Darrow Road needs to go
straight across.
o Request to realign Flat Rock Road across from Rail Fence Road.
Response: Construction of a bridge on US 158 over NC 66 or on NC 66 over US 158
will not be feasible due to the severe impacts to adjacent properties and business at and
near this intersection. Extending Beeson Diary Road to Reidsville Road is outside the
scope of the proposed project. The intersection of US 158 and Darrow Road/Old
Belews Creek Road and the request to realign Flat Rock Road will be considered as the
project is further developed.
• Drainage
o Concerned about current drainage from US 158, and potential increased
drainage resulting from expanded road (Eagles Nest Neighborhood).
o At the intersection of Happy Rd and US 158, there is a deep gully or ditch
that is part of the ROW. I hope this gets changed.
Response: Drainage concerns will be taken into consideration as the project is further
developed and hydraulic design plans are developed and refined for the project.

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Bicycle/Pedestrian Accommodations
o The Winston-Salem MPO CTP pedestrian recommendations include
building sidewalks between Darrow Rd and Old Hollow (NC 66). Is there
any way to incorporate?
o I see no provisions for bike/walkways on any typical section.
Response: NCDOT works with local governments to add sidewalks and bicycle
accommodations in coordination with highway improvement projects. State funds are
available on a sliding scale to match funds provided by the local government for the
inclusion of sidewalks. The local government is responsible for maintaining the
sidewalk.
Accommodations for bicycles and/or pedestrians have not been included in this project
as no requests for bicycle and/or pedestrian accommodations have been submitted to
NCDOT from either Walkertown or Stokesdale. US 158, between Darrow Road and
Old Hollow Road (NC 66), falls within the city limits of Walkertown. The proposed
design for this section of the project, a four-lane median divided facility with curb and
gutter and a 10 foot berm, does not preclude the construction of sidewalks in the future,
should the City of Walkertown decide to do so.
• Public Involvement
o Recommend adding to website a one-page separate printable legend.
o Cannot read the legend or other writing on the online Highway 158
Improvements Project map. Zooming in is possible, but the writing cannot
be read. Where can I go to see the map?
Response: Hard copies of the public meeting maps can be viewed at the NCDOT
Division 9 office at 375 Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem and at the NCDOT
Division 7 office at 1584 Yanceyville Street in Greensboro. A printable legend can be
added to the project website.
Project Schedule
o When will the project commence and be completed?
o This road is at very crowded today. This improvement should be started
sooner than the 2026 time schedule. Frequent accidents are the norm for this
road now. Please consider accelerating the construction schedule.
Response: Construction on Section A will begin in 2022 and in 2026 for Section B.
Section C is not currently funded for construction. Construction will be completed
approximately 2-3 years after the start of construction on each section of the project.
Due to the remaining project planning requirements, it is not likely that the project
schedule will be advanced.
• Traffic
o How to get out. It's pretty bad now.
o I wanted to know the traffic counts for Stanley Park Rd, Stanley Ave and
Angel Dr.

Page 7 of 10
Response: The proposed project will improve traffic fZow and access to and from side
streets. Providing right-in, right-out access at side streets, restricting left-turn
movements and cross-over movements (i.e. eliminating many confZictpoints), and
provided U-turn bulbs at strategic locations will improve traffic fZow and provide a
much safer facility for travelers accessing tIS 158.
Stanley Park Road, Stanley Avenue, and Angel Drive are not considered major
intersections due to low volumes of daily traffic (less than 100 vehicles per day), so the
Traffic Forecast for this project does not show current or projected traffic volumes for
these streets.
Neighborhood Impacts and Services
o Please protect the small town nature of the area - do not create "islands" of
residential communities that are cut off by highway.
o The road will affect the rural nature of the town.
o Will there be city/sewer available?
Response: Impacts to communities will be evaluated as the project further develops and
will be addressed in the environmental document, the State Environmental
Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact (State EA/FONSI). NCDOT will attempt
to minimize impacts to neighborhoods, communities, farms, businesses and individual
property owners to the fullest extent practicable. Water and sewer services are
provided by local or county municipalities, not by the NCDOT.
• Preference for R-2577C Alternative 2(Southern Alternative)
o Alternative 2 will encourage truckers to take US 220 to I-73 and stay away
from downtown Stokesdale.
o Prefer Alternative 2 because Alternative 3 would impact their properties,
neighborhoods (Boone Landing, Marshall Woods) and cause economic loss.
o Concerned about noise impacts to church near Alternative 3
o Fewer superstreets than Alternative 3
o Alternative 2 is the least disruptive to majority of Stokesdale residences -
will impact fewer people, homes, structures, and businesses.
o Most direct route and safer than Alternative 3.
o Alternative 2 is the best option to grow Stokesdale town area.
o Concerned about business and wetlands impacts associated with Alternative 3.
o Concerned that Alternative 3 would disrupt flow of traffic and impact access
to Belews Lake.
o Alternative 3 would cause delays in fire department emergency response.
o Alternative 3 and proposed U-turns would cause hazardous conditions for
visitors and residents of Countryside Retirement Village.
o Southern route has been on planning maps for years and been part of
rezoning decisions made in the last few years.
Response: Comments regarding the preference for Alternative 2 and impacts to
neighborhoods, residences, businesses, churches, schools, and farms along the
proposed path for Alternative 3 the will be considered as the project is further
developed and when a decision is made regarding the preferred alternative.

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Preference for R-2577C Alternative 3(Northern Alternative)
o Alternative 2 is detrimental to Stokesdale — it will result in further
corruption of Stokesdale Land Use Plan and the vision of the town core, it
will significantly increase the amount of high speed and cause
environmental degradation, it will increase noise and air pollution, and will
cause more impacts than what is shown due to recent development.
o Southern route affects high end homes and property values and also affects
large businesses paying taxes while northern route will affect no businesses.
o Alternative 2 will take away our livelihood (farms impacts).
o Southern route will cut off access to Ellison Road from Shoreline Road.
o Alternative will have direct impacts to new development (The Landing at
Angel Glen) and will have no access to the neighborhood.
o Will split farm in half - Angel farm off of Angel-Purdue Road.
o Do not want increase traffic congestion and increase in crime potential.
Northern option would best serve town.
o Prefers northern route because it affects fewer businesses and homes.
o Alternative 3 affects fewer businesses and families. Alternative 2 impacts a
landmark restaurant and owner's home that opened in the 1950s.
o Prefers Alternative 3 due to noise impacts to Stokesdale Elementary.
o Will there be a new traffic study to determine how much traffic is now using
I-73 instead of US 158? Some traffic may go I-40 to Hwy 68 and then new
I-73 to go north.
o It is doubtful trucks would continue on 158 to 220 when they want to go the
shortest route and can take NC 68 north to 220.
o Concerned about increase traffic congestion on NC 68 due to southern route
and the synchronized street proposal for the southern option appears to be
significantly inferior to the interchange of the northern option. NC 68
appears to have heavier traffic than US 158; therefore, an option that keeps
both roads flowing with minimal disruption (i.e. the interchange of the
northern route) seems preferable.
o Impacts to Culp Home Fashions and most recent $lOM distribution center
expansion, as well as over the septic field servicing 450 employees
o Southern route would put a hardship on our family and community.
o Impact to Dorsett Downs neighborhood — negative impact to property
values, concern about superstreet design, noise levels, and impacts to
wetlands.
o Northern route impacts primarily poor individuals who lives along existing
roadway, and the southern would go through newly developed subdivisions
with $300K homes.
Response: Comments regarding the preference for Alternative 3 and impacts to
neighborhoods, residences, businesses, churches, schools, and farms along the
proposed path for Alternative 2 will be considered as the project is further developed
and when a decision is made regarding the preferred alternative.
NCDOT recently updated the Traffic Forest (July 2017) for the proposed project and is
currently in the process of completing a traffic capacity analysis based on an updated

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Traffic Forecast. The updated traffic analysis will be used as the project is further
developed and design plans are finalized.
• Other Alternative
o The most logical widening of HWY 158 through Stokesdale would be to go
straight onto HWY 65 and then onto 220, since those highways are already
in place and would just need widening.
Response: NCDOT has considered a full range of preliminary alternatives for
improving US 158 through Stokesdale, which included upgrading existing facilities as
well as new location alternatives. Several preliminary alternatives were eliminated
from further study because they either did not meet the purpose and need for the
project, or had substantially more impacts than those that were chosen for further
study.
General Opposition to Project
o Do not wish to live 300 feet from a major highway
o No changes to US 158 needed
o Project is not needed because of minimal traffic on US 158
o Farm will be affected by project — do not want a 4-lane obstruction at Flat
Rock road because it will be noisy and disturbing
o Do not need big highways — slowly destroying precious farmland used to
make a living
o We would also like to advocate the state reevaluate the need for this project.
The traffic does not demand a 4-lane divided highway.
o Don't think it will keep traffic flowing & will be flowing in wrong direction.
158 is a major road, look like NCDOT is trying to use as a county road, 45
to 50 mph.
o This project is much too costly and not requiredi
o Not happy about the project
Response: The purpose for and need of the project is to improve traffic carrying
capacity along US 158 within the project limits and to improve the level of service for
this roadway. Potential impacts to homes, businesses, churches, farms, and
neighborhoods, as well as to impacts to the natural environment as a result of the
proposed project will be assessed and evaluated. All efforts will be made to avoid,
minimize, or mitigate potential impacts. Comments opposing the project will be noted
and considered as the project is further developed.
General Support for the Project
o I wish other attendees and homeowners could consider how the new road is
going to benefit the community. Thanks for the detailed maps.
o I support 158 being improved 100%. Good jobi
o I have lived on Walkertown-Guthrie for 55 years and have seen the rapid
growth in traffic during that time in our community. So I understand and
welcome the widening of Hwy 158 in our area.
o First let me say I am very excited about the bypass being built near my
home in High Knoll, Walkertown.

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Response: Comments in support of the project are noted.
The following verbal comments related to specific properties were relayed to the project
team at the design public meetings.
Roll 6 of 7(R-2577C Alternative 3)
o Station 67+00 — Mr. Gilliam lives next to Oak Springs Church (west) stated
that the church has recently bought property somewhere else to build a new
church. He would prefer not to move any graves in the cemetery across the
street from the church were several of his relatives are buried.
o Station 23+00 along NC 65 — property owner of parcel #737 requested
NCDOT consider moving the proposed realignment of NC 65 near the
proposed interchange with NC 68 further west to not impact his driveway
access and septic field located in the front of his property. He would like to
not be relocated if possible.
If there are any questions or comments regarding this information, please contact Karen
Reynolds at 919-707-6038 or at lcreynolds o,ncdot.gov, or contact Bryan Key, PE, at 919-
707-6263 or at bcicey�a,ncdot.gov .
CC: Meeting Attendees