Staff Writer
Kinston Free Press
Next week, the final four roads which the Global TransPark rail spur needs to cross will be closed.
The N.C. Department of Transportation will close John Mewborne Road near Rouse Road Extension on Monday; then Rouse Road Extension near John Mewborne on Tuesday; Rouse Road near C.F. Harvey Parkway on Wednesday and AeroSystems Boulevard — the access road to Spirit AeroSystems’ plant at the GTP — will close Thursday.
Each road will be closed for a day, according to news releases from DOT; detours will be available for drivers.
Transportation officials have closed Harvey Parkway while workers with general contractor Hinkle Contracting Co. of Kentucky, which is building the rail spur, build a rail crossing over the highway. A length of Harvey Parkway between U.S. 258 North and Rouse Road Extension will be closed through early June.
The 5.6-mile rail spur crosses 12 roads between the GTP and the main N.C. Railroad line that runs between Charlotte and the port at Morehead City, and goes through the middle of Kinston.
Drivers in the area of U.S. 258 North, Dobbs Farm Road and Harvey Parkway have dealt with weeks of closed roads, as Dobbs Farm was closed in March for about six weeks — it reopened earlier this month — and then Harvey Parkway closed May 7.
Arendell Parrott Academy, located at the intersection of Dobbs Farm and Airport Road, has been in the midst of the road closings.
Terah Archie, director of public information for the school, said the closure of Dobbs Farm had the largest impact on students, parents, faculty and staff, but all together, the closures have not had a major impact on getting to and from the school.
“It’s been a slight inconvenience, but not even to a majority of our families, and we’ve been able to find ways to work around it,” Archie said.
A number of students travel from outside of Lenoir County to attend Parrott; Archie suggested those who drive from the New Bern area and typically like to take U.S. 70 West to U.S. 258 North, and then to Dobbs Farm Road, instead travel through downtown Kinston, up Queen Street to Airport Road.
“It’s been a minor inconvenience for the first day or two, until everybody finds a way around,” said Assistant Headmaster Bert Bright.
David Anderson can be reached at 252-559-1077 or danderson@freedomenc.com. Follow him on Twitter at DavidFreePress.