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Wilmington City Council is voicing its support for a second point of access for the Vertex Rail facility, but without specifying the residential Vance Street as a preferred route.
After considerable discussion at its meeting Tuesday night, council voted 4-3 in favor of member Laura Padgett’s motion to adopt a resolution in support of a second access, which the North Carolina Department of Transportation had requested for Vance Street, but without specifying that street by name in hopes of encouraging other options.
DOT had asked for the city’s support to reopen and improve a currently closed-off portion of Vance Street as a connection between the Vertex facility and Shipyard Boulevard. The access would provide another option to Raleigh Street, which is slated to serve as a primary access.
Councilman Charlie Rivenbark confirmed with city staff that the DOT’s proposal would be to improve only the portion of Vance Street between the facility site and Sumter Drive, at a cost of $833,000. The work would extend two 12-foot lanes and add sidewalks and traffic calming devices, such as narrowed lanes or bulb-out curbs.
But Rivenbark noted the proposal would not improve the rest of Vance, which is city right-of-way and up to the city to maintain. Mike Kozlosky, director of the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization, noted time restraints and cost restrictions played into that proposal, but Rivenbark maintained the scenario was unsuitable for a worn down road that runs through a neighborhood.
With more than 1,300 employees expected to be employed by Vertex, which plans to be fully operational by May, Rivenbark and others have expressed concerns that as many vehicles could be driven through the neighborhood, prompting council to continue the request last month.
Related story: Council balks at street extension for Vertex Rail facility
“It’s the principle that it’s not designed for that,” he said, contending that more consideration was being given to time and money than to the families and children who live along the street.
Padgett cautioned her peers from appearing as if the city could not work with the DOT or does not want Vertex, a railcar producer that announced in November it would invest upwards of $50 million in up-fitting the former Terex Cranes site on Raleigh Street, just off Carolina Beach Road. The state has said it would accommodate the project by improving infrastructure and access, such as Raleigh Street and a rail line that would serve the Vertex site.
By expressing support for a second access road but not specifying Vance Street, Padgett said council would be showing its support along while also expressing its concerns with the proposal.
“I hate for a company that’s bringing 1,300 jobs to think that we’re against them, when we’re really not,” Padgett said.
Kevin O’Grady stressed that more options might be possible, such as an access road across the rail line to River Road, which runs just west of the Vertex site to the south of the Port of Wilmington. O’Grady emphasized that council was given only one option—one that he said “doesn’t make sense.”
But Mayor Bill Saffo said Vance, while not ideal, may be the only option for providing a second access road by May. Saffo said he would rather see the city commit to improving the rest of the Vance Street while seeking another potential access route.
“I think we need to move forward with it, and I think we need to make that road as safe as possible for residents,” Saffo said. “It is unfortunate that we have to go that particular route.”
Padgett’s motion to approve the resolution without specifying Vance Street passed 4-3, with Saffo and councilmen Neil Anderson and Earl Sheridan opposing.
Related stories:
- Vertex Rail to bring 1,300 jobs, $60M investment to Wilmington
- Vertex Rail CEO: ‘We can’t wait to be successful here’
- City requests study to move rail line across river
Jonathan Spiers is a reporter for Port City Daily. He can be reached at (910) 772-6313 or [email protected]. On Twitter: @jrspiers
