SYLVA, N.C. (WLOS) — A Highway 107 widening project that runs through Sylva, with a start date that’s been pushed back for years, is now expected to begin as soon as April.The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) said the project will take roughly five years to complete, with an estimated completion date of 2031. The 2.6 miles of work will wind from Mill Street to Lovedale Road.LONG-AWAITED HIGHWAY 107 PROJECT SEES SOME PROGRESS AS NCDOT AWARDS $103M CONTRACTJill Rutt, co-owner...
SYLVA, N.C. (WLOS) — A Highway 107 widening project that runs through Sylva, with a start date that’s been pushed back for years, is now expected to begin as soon as April.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) said the project will take roughly five years to complete, with an estimated completion date of 2031. The 2.6 miles of work will wind from Mill Street to Lovedale Road.
LONG-AWAITED HIGHWAY 107 PROJECT SEES SOME PROGRESS AS NCDOT AWARDS $103M CONTRACT
Jill Rutt, co-owner of White Moon Coffee with her husband, said the work being done is in an area where her husband faced a dangerous situation.
“My husband actually got hit fairly recently,” Rutt said. “Somebody just didn't stop at the red light and just smacked into him.”
Luckily, Rutt said no one was hurt, but she’s hoping the widening project prevents possible fender benders or anything worse from happening there once it’s complete.
“I have seen some fairly sketchy moments,” Rutt said.
NCDOT spokesperson David Uchiyama said one of the primary objectives of the work is to make Highway 107 not just safer for drivers, but also for cyclists and pedestrians.
“A safer facility that has two lanes in each direction, turn lanes where necessary, bulb-outs providing U-turn access as well as bike lanes for cyclists,” Uchiyama said.
Uchiyama added that crews will be doing most of this work in a phased approach. Most of the work is expected to be done overnight to try to ease congestion and maintain access to all businesses in the area.
Rutt said she hopes that the long-term plan does not change.
“I am going to be hopeful that they do that so that during the day, everyone can still live a fairly normal existence, driving from one point to the other," Rutt said.
NCDOT is also planning to keep at least one lane open in each direction.
On Friday, Dec. 5, a contract for the project was awarded to Buchanan and Sons of Whittier.