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Commissioners applying for scenic byway between Columbus and Tryon

COLUMBUS—Polk County has is officially applying to designate a portion of Highway 108 as a scenic byway. 

Commissioners met on Monday and heard from Clay Griffith, with Acme Preservation Services, who is preparing the application to the state. 

Griffith said once the North Carolina Department of Transportation receives the application, they will review it and if it meets the state’s criteria, there will be a second, more detailed report that would be submitted. 

Commissioner Ray Gasperson said the application was well written and well documented and he learned some history. 

County manager Marche Pittman asked what the average turn around time for approval is from the state. Griffith said the feedback he is receiving is the state is looking for it and will review it fairly quickly. He said if the first application meets the criteria, the second phase must be turned in by Aug. 31. Then there will be a 90-day comment period. 

Commissioners approved submitting the application unanimously. The board also heard from a few residents regarding the scenic byway during citizen comments. 

Eve Ray, who initially suggested creating a scenic byway along Highway 108 instead of previous NCDOT plans to widen the road, said it is dangerous to give the state more control over our land than they already have. She said willingly giving up our rights makes zero sense. 

“I ask that you put the scenic byway application in the trash where it belongs,” Ray said. 

All other comments were in favor of the scenic byway, which is currently proposed to begin at the city limits of Columbus and go to U.S. 176 in Tryon. 

Melissa LeRoy thanked commissioners for their foresight and the donors who made the application possible. 

Dorothy Easley said the project goes back to the Save Hwy 108 initiative, where commissioners heard hundreds of people saying they want the highway to be a scenic byway. She recognized each donor for the project, which raised $5,435, more than what the applications cost. 

Commissioner vice chairman Myron Yoder said he really likes that the community raised the money and he backs the scenic byway 110 percent. He said he likes to show off Polk County and it will really help businesses.