Neighbors voice concerns over Airport Boulevard expansion project
NOTIFICATIONS TURNED ON.
SO YOU GET PHONE ALERTS RIGHT
TO
YOUR SCREEN.
>> TONIGHT, SOME RESIDENTS IN
MORRISVILLE ARE FIGHTING
AGAINST A MAJOR ROAD PROJECT
BEFORE IT BEGINS. THEY'RE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE EXPANSION
OF AIRPORT BOULEVARD AND
THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE RISK
TO CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND
WILDLIFE. ALL NEW TONIGHT WILL
BE DAILY, JOINS US LIVE FROM
AIRPORT BOULEVARD AT THE
SPEAKING WITH NEIGHBORS IN
TOWN. MAN HAS BEEN WILLING.
>> WELL, JOE, WE'VE SPOKEN TO
SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS
AREA. SOME TELL US THEY HAD NO
IDEA THAT THIS CONSTRUCTION
PROJECT WAS SLATED TO HAPPEN
SO SOON. OTHERS TELL US THAT
THEY'RE AGAINST IT. HAPPENING
AT WE SPOKE TO THE TOWN MANAGER
HERE IN MORRISVILLE AND THEY
TELL US THAT THIS HAS BEEN IN
THE WORKS FOR A LONG TIME AND
IT'S FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF
THE CITY.
>> TONIGHT, NEIGHBORS WORRY AND
EXPANSION PROJECT ALONG AIRPORT
BOULEVARD WILL BRING TOO MUCH
TRAFFIC AND NOISE WITH IT.
PHASE ONE OF THE PROJECT IS SET
TO KICK OFF IN LESS THAN 4
MONTHS. WE HAVE A LOT OF
RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> THAT LIKE TO WALK THAT LIKE
TO BUY AND WE REALLY DON'T WANT
TO INCREASE TRAFFIC AROUND THE
SCHOOLS. IT'S ALSO GOING TO
INCREASE NOISE. AND I THINK IT
BRINGS IN SAFETY ISSUES.
MURRAY, LAGUARDIA STARTED AN
ONLINE PETITION TO STOP THE
PROJECT CITING TRAFFIC AND
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS. AND
WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN THAT A LOT
OF RESIDENTS ARE NOT EVEN
AWARE.
>> BUT THIS OF THIS
CONSTRUCTION IS HAPPENING.
I MEAN, THEY'RE SURPRISED.
I SPOKE TO MORRISVILLE TOWN
MANAGER BRANDON ZUMA WHO SAYS
THE EXPANSION PROJECT HAS BEEN
IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS. THE
TOWN HAS PARTNERED WITH NC DOT,
BUT LIKE OTHER PROJECTS, THE
PANDEMIC PUT THINGS ON HOLD.
THERE WAS A VIRTUAL SESSION
THAT WAS HELD BACK IN APRIL
OF 2021. AT THE TIME THAT THIS
WAS THOUGHT TO BE A LITTLE
CLOSER TO CONSTRUCTION. BUT OF
COURSE, COVID IMPACTED THAT
PARTICULARLY WITH BUDGETS AND
OTHER THINGS. AND THEN NOW IT
IS MOVING FORWARD UNDERSTANDS
THAT SOME PEOPLE LIVING NEARBY
MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
THE FEEDBACK SESSIONS THAT TOOK
PLACE YEARS AGO, BUT HOPES THEY
CAN SEE THE VALUE THAT THE
EXPANSION WILL BRING TO THE
COMMUNITY. IT'S AN IMPORTANT
CONNECTOR IN TERMS OF JUST
CROSSED OUT CONNECTIVITY.
AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO ANSAR
PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY IS GOING TO
HAVE SAFE PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT.
SO THIS PROJECT IS EXPECTED
TO BEGIN IN FEBRUARY OF 2026,
AND THEY'RE EXPECTING IT TO BE
COMPLETED BY 2028.
>> AS FOR THE EFFORTS TO STOP
THIS, THEY'RE STILL ONGOING
VISIT WRAL DOT COM TO FIND OUT