Lenoir County Commissioners unanimously agree to bypass route

By Junious Smith III

There wasn’t an issue about which route to support in terms of the U.S. 70 Bypass.

A unanimous decision was made in Monday’s Lenoir County Commissioner Meeting on going with the Alternative 1SB route, one where the projected bypass allows a closer proximity toward businesses on U.S. 70.

“We want to do everything we can to prevent local businesses from being affected,” Lenoir County Chairman Linda Rouse Sutton said. “Talking to people in other counties, their advice was to get the route as close as you can. Hopefully, this is something that will work out for everyone.”

Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse is the county’s representative on the Lenoir County Transportation Committee and said the benefit of the bypass route chosen by the commissioners is the possible revenue from travelers.

The projected bypass route supported by the Lenoir County Commissioners is displayed in orange. Submitted photo

“It keeps traffic close to Kinston and doesn’t divert them out to more rural areas of Lenoir County where there isn’t as much infrastructure,” Rouse said. “Right now, Highway 70’s a big economic engine for Lenoir County and the closer we can keep traffic, the better. When travelers need to get off the interstate, if our businesses are within half a mile opposed to five miles, they’ll be more apt to visit Kinston.”

Rouse said it’ll take time before anything comes into fruition.

“DOT is saying there’s going to be a two-year delay and they’ll pick it back up then,” Rouse said. “The planning phase has been pushed to the side and when they’re ready to get back to the data, it’ll be right there.”