WINDSOR – Federal funds could be shifted to a state road.

The shift will occur, however, over the strong objection of Windsor Mayor Bob Spivey and other officials in Bertie County.

Thursday morning Spivey reported to the Windsor Board of Commissioners that Hertford County officials were attempting to have federal funds shifted from a project to four-lane U.S. 13 to four-lane N.C. 11.

Spivey said he, then interim Town Administrator David Overton and Bertie County Manager Zee Lamb attended a meeting with District One Transportation Board Member Stan White and officials from Hertford County.

&uot;It was very apparent when we got there and listened… they had been prepped and were prepared to do it,&uot; Spivey said.

&uot;We pretty strongly opposed it,&uot; the mayor added. &uot;Our main objection was moving federal funds to a state road. We are for N.C. 11, but that should be a priority of the state.&uot;

The mayor said he was concerned if N.C. 11 were completed first, it would be disastrous for U.S. 13 and Windsor.

&uot;If that happens, it could be the death knell for Highway 13 in Windsor,&uot; he said.

The mayor also revealed numbers indicating it would cost almost $400,000 per mile less to four-lane U.S. 13 than N.C. 11. The cost for N.C. 11 is projected to be roughly $4.25 million per mile while the cost for U.S. 13 is estimated at nearly $3.85 million per mile.

Reached in his office Monday morning, Spivey said he was very much in favor of N.C. 11 becoming a four-lane road

&uot;We all want N.C. 11 to be four-lane, but we think it should be a state project,&uot; the mayor said. &uot;We don’t want to give up one road for another. We don’t want to give up federal funds for U.S. 13 to do 11 because we believe 13 is important too.&uot;

Both U.S. 13 and N.C. 11 are major north-south routes in Bertie and Hertford counties.