DOT estimates project cost at $625k
A resurfacing project that was thought to be impossible for another few years will be done in 2013.
The Polk County Board of Commissioners met Monday, Oct. 1 and announced that the N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT) will repave part of Hwy. 9 next year. The section to be repaved is between U.S. 74 and the Hwy. 108 intersection in Mill Spring.
Commissioners also approved the DOT secondary road program for 2013 during its meeting.
Ben Williams, DOT county maintenance engineer for Polk and Transylvania counties, said the estimate for work is $625,000 with expectations that bids will go out sometime next spring.
Polk County commissioner chair Ray Gasperson said he and county manager Ryan Whitson met with DOT engineers for the state’s public hearing on the secondary road program on Sept. 24 and asked about the Hwy. 9 paving. DOT engineers said in September that the project could not be done next year because there were roads in other counties that are in greater need but they would check to see if there is any funding.
“We pointed out the school being there and pushed the point that I consider this section a main corridor at least for our local folk,” Gasperson said. “They said they’d let us know in two weeks. In two days, Mark Gibbs (local DOT engineer) called and said it will be paved between May and October next year. It worked.”
Gasperson gave credit to commissioner Ted Owens for working to get the section repaved. Owens originally asked DOT officials to repave the section of Hwy. 9 and suggested Polk County send a resolution to state officials regarding getting the road paved sooner than planned.
Commissioners approved a resolution to send to DOT in August asking to place the resurfacing of Hwy. 9  higher on its list. The state at the time had estimated the resurfacing wouldn’t be possible until fiscal year 2015/2016.