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WINDSOR – A possible plan to construct a roundabout at the intersection of NC 11 and NC 308 at Lewiston Woodville is off the drawing board, at least for now.

As reported in Saturday’s edition, North Carolina Department of Transportation officials presented their long range, needs-based transportation plan for Bertie County to the county’s board of commissioners at their meeting on April 7. The roundabout was part of NCDOT’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) for Bertie County.

The roundabout was met with opposition by at least one county commissioner, which led to the board not approving the CTP.

“There’s a lot of 18-wheelers [using that intersection],” said Commissioner Ron Roberson at the April 7 meeting. “I don’t believe a roundabout will work well there because of the large trucks that passed through going to Perdue (processing plant) and other places. I say leave it like it is.”

Traffic at that busy intersection is currently controlled by using a four-way stop.

Two days after the meeting, Amanda Killian, a Transportation Engineer II with NCDOT, sent an email to Roberson and the rest of the board.

“I wanted to follow up regarding project number 5 [the roundabout] in the Bertie County CTP. We made some edits to show this as an intersection improvement project and removed any reference of a roundabout,” Killian said in the email.

She added that the CTP is a very high-level plan that simply shows the needs of an area.

“The actual design and type of improvement will be decided after funding has been secured and through extensive local and public engagement during the design phase,” Killian noted. “It is clear that there is a need for an intersection improvement at NC 11 and NC 308 due to safety and heavy traffic, and our maps and documentation will show this. Further studies will determine the exact nature of this improvement, in consultation with Bertie County and other local partners.”

Killian stated NCDOT is open for further discussion on the matter.

“We would be happy to call and discuss this project with you once you have had the chance to review the revision,” Killian said. “We hope to seek your support for adoption of the Bertie County CTP at the next commissioners meeting so that Bertie County can have an updated CTP which provides improved transportation funding opportunities for the county.”

There are several major projects on the Bertie CTP, to include transforming the US 17 corridor through the county from a four-lane divided highway to interstate standards and designating the road as I-87.

Two other significant projects proposed within the CTP are upgrading US 13 from Windsor to NC 42 at Powellsville (a total of 16.86 miles) to a multi-lane freeway; and widening NC 11 to a four-lane divided highway from NC 903 in Martin County to the US 13 Bypass north of Ahoskie.

Another proposed major project is NC 45. Along that route, the plan recommends the widening of the existing two lanes as well as widening the shoulders. The proposed scope of work, if approved, totals 21.75 miles from the Bertie-Washington County line to the town limits of Colerain.