Connect with us

North Carolina

Asheville I-26 Connector contract the ‘largest’ in NC history; What about local companies?

Published

on

Asheville I-26 Connector contract the ‘largest’ in NC history; What about local companies?


ASHEVILLE – The $1.15 billion final contract for the I-26 Connector project is the largest contract awarded in the state’s history, according to a North Carolina Department of Transportation engineer presentation on the project May 17.

NCDOT Engineer Nathan Moneyham spoke about the scale of the project and contract during the May 17 French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting, stating it was the largest awarded in the states history.

Of the three proposed designs for I-26’s Section B, which runs from Haywood Road in West Asheville and crosses the French Broad to connect to U.S. 19/23/70 and U.S. 240, contractor Archer-Wright Joint Venture’s $1.15 billion design was selected May 15 for the project. The section also includes improvements to Riverside Drive.

The FBRMPO is a partnership between local and state government that makes transportation planning decisions and meets planning requirements established by federal legislation for transportation funding, according to the FBRMPO website. The federally-mandated organization was created in 1962.

Advertisement

The NCDOT Design-Build process happens in two stages, according to the NCDOT website. First, NCDOT creates a shortlist of contractors based on contract applications. After that, NCDOT engineers determine the “best value” proposal by evaluating designs.

Other recent design-build contracts include a $242 million contract for a US-70 expansion in Craven County, a $287 million contract for a new freeway in Wake County and a $53 million upgrade to U.S. 70 in Cleveland County, according to the NCDOT website.

During the meeting, city councilmember Kim Roney asked how different neighborhoods, like the Burton Street neighborhood — a historically Black West Asheville neighborhood, which can expect major changes from the I-26 Connector project — might see long-term positive impacts from hiring local minority and women-owned contracting companies in the record setting project.

NCDOT engineers have separated some elements of the I-26 project out of the larger contract, which might be done by smaller local contractors, Moneyham said.

Advertisement

“If you’ve got a local contractor who’s small, just getting started — working with a company like [Archer Western] is intimidating,” Moneyham said. “So, we’ve tried to pull out smaller pieces of work, especially in the areas adjacent to those neighborhoods, where we can let smaller contracts.”

‘Optimization and refinement’

The I-26 Connector project has been in the pipeline for over 30 years, with local businesses, neighborhoods and the city of Asheville anticipating NCDOT to make way for the expansive project despite it facing multiple, long-term funding setbacks.

Funding setbacks could still be a problem for the project.

Because all bids came in above estimated cost of the project, NCDOT developed a new “Optimization and Refinement” process to ensure the project moves forward after the high bids indicated “it was in significant danger of, again, taking another round of significant delays,” Moneyham said during the meeting.

Advertisement

The additional I-26 Connector Design-Build process also came with technical modifications and a proposed, secondary “adjusted bid” price of $846 million, which was significantly lower than Archer-Wright’s $1.15 billion actual bid.

The over $300 million difference between the adjusted price and actual bid was the result of the new optimization process. The process will continue over the next six-months, as NCDOT works directly with Archer-Wright Joint Venture to reduce cost “to get it down to the point we can fully fund and begin construction,” Moneyham said.

“We’re not looking to undo anything,” Moneyham said regarding I-26 Connector commitments. “But our main focus is to reduce the cost by looking for construction inefficiencies we can correct.”

More: Asheville hospitality workers face low wages, no paid sick leave, highest rent in NC

Advertisement

More: Woodfin’s Whitewater Wave likely to be completed in 2024 as only wave in WNC

Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

North Carolina

Thaddeus Dixon Joins in Husky Exodus to North Carolina

Published

on

Thaddeus Dixon Joins in Husky Exodus to North Carolina


In a postseason recruitment that was raw and revealing at times, where decorated cornerback Thaddeus Dixon suggested in social media postings that University of Washington football fans wanted him to come back more than the coaches, apparently received all the assurances he needed at North Carolina.

On Saturday, the senior defensive back from Long Beach, California, told On3 he would join the Tar Heels for his final season of college football, adding to a growing list of one-time UW players and coaches headed to Chapel Hill.

So far, the departing group includes linebacker Khmori House, safety Peyton Waters, wide receiver Jason Robinson Jr., defensive coordinator Steve Belichick and defensive analyst Armond Hawkins, all moving from Montlake to the ACC.

The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Dixon would have given the Huskies three highly accredited corners, joining fellow UW starter Ephesians Prysock and Arizona transfer Tacario Davis, to fill out a secondary that could have had few equals this coming season, and still might.

Advertisement

Dixon reportedly took recruiting visits to Mississippi and North Carolina, and fielded overtures from Michigan, before settling on the Tar Heels.

The disconnect for Dixon appeared to show up when the Huskies landed a portal commitment from the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Davis, a second-team All-Big 12 pick this past season, presumably to take his vacated spot.

Advertisement

The 6-foot-4, 193-pound Prysock and Davis teamed together at Arizona in 2023, with both earning All-Pac-12 honorable-mention accolades.

Dixon originally was supposed to run out of college eligibility when the season ended, hence the Huskies went looking for cornerback help, but the NCAA gave the veteran an extra year when it changed the rules governing players with junior-college backgrounds. He came to the UW from Long Beach Community College.

One of the Huskies’ top individual success stories this past season, Dixon went from a back-up player in 2023 to unseat returning starter Elijah Jackson, who opened all 15 games for the national runner-up team.

Thaddeus Dixon soaks up the moment after an Apple Cup interception.

Thaddeus Dixon soaks up the moment after an Apple Cup interception. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Moving into the lineup, Dixon started 12 of 13 games and received All-Big Ten honorable-mention honors for Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff. He had a team-best 10 pass break-ups, an Apple Cup interception and several textbook tackles in the open field. He’s easily made himself into an NFL prospect.

With three accomplished cornerbacks, the Huskies could have picked two starters and put the odd man out at nickelback.

Advertisement

Dixon clearly wasn’t going to go that route at the UW, likely figuring his past performance should have provided him with more cornerback guarantees.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington





Source link

Continue Reading

North Carolina

Bill Belichick's girlfriend seemingly shuts down rumors coach will leave North Carolina for NFL

Published

on

Bill Belichick's girlfriend seemingly shuts down rumors coach will leave North Carolina for NFL


Bill Belichick’s girlfriend on Thursday seemingly shut down any talk of her boyfriend leaving the North Carolina Tar Heels football program for a job in the NFL.

Jordon Hudson responded to rumors that suggested Belichick had one foot out the door when it came to his Tar Heels gig. Belichick had been rumored to be interest in coaching the Dallas Cowboys, but the head coaching job wasn’t open until he had already committed to North Carolina. CBS Sports reported that Belichick didn’t sign his contract with the school.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Oct. 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey: Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and girlfriend Jordon Hudson enter the field before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen at MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

Advertisement

She posted a photo on her Instagram showing the two posing with a football and Belichick dressed in Carolina blue.

“Pictured: two people who are overtly committed to @uncfootball,” she wrote as the caption.

Michael Lombardi, who is the general manager of the North Carolina football program, also threw cold water on the rumors of Belichick jumping back to the pros.

EX-NFL COACH JON GRUDEN RIPS STATE OF COLLEGE SPORTS

Jordon Hudson in December 2024

Dec. 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC: Jordon Hudson, the girlfriend of Bill Belichick, in attendance at Loudermilk Center for Excellence.  (Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)

“Bill is recruiting in DC today, and Baltimore tomorrow.  His focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members and developing the team. The NFL isnt a option so please stop making it one. Thank you,” he wrote on X in response to the CBS Sports report.

Advertisement

“The reception towards UNC and Coach Belichick has been amazing from every school we visit. We are going to fight to keep North Carolina players here and bring the best to Chapel Hill,” he added.

Belichick was hired as the Tar Heels’ coach in December. He called the job a “dream come true.”

Bill Belichick fields questions from media

The North Carolina Tar Heels’ new head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. (Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“​​I’ve always wanted to coach in college football,” Belichick said in his introductory press conference. “It just never really worked out. Had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK. But this is really a dream come true.”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

North Carolina

North Carolina man arrested for pandering – The Tribune

Published

on

North Carolina man arrested for pandering – The Tribune


North Carolina man arrested for pandering

Published 2:19 pm Friday, January 17, 2025

Met up with Scioto County juvenile 

A North Carolina man is in the Scioto County jail after he traveled by to Scioto County to meet up with a with a minor and then allegedly took videos of them participating in sexual acts.

Advertisement

Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman said in a press release that his office was contacted on Jan. 13 by a female wanting to report a juvenile runaway. A deputy responded and obtained information and the preliminary investigation revealed the juvenile had been in contact with Braceon Madison, 18, of Laurinburg, North Carolina.

Two days later, deputies got information that the runaway juvenile and Madison were seen at Burger King in Wheelersburg. Deputies found them and the juvenile female was taken to the Southern Ohio Medical Center for evaluation. The initial contact with Madison revealed no probable cause for an arrest.

Deputies obtained all the needed information to continue their investigation and released Madison. The investigation was then turned over to detectives.

As this was occurring, the detectives were contacted and advised that the Madison had shown up at the hospital requesting to see the juvenile. Detectives responded to the hospital and observed Madison walking away as they were nearing the hospital and he was detained.

Detectives interviewed the juvenile and her guardians and they learned that Madison and juvenile met through Facebook on Dec. 24, 2024.

Advertisement

The two remained in contact and Madison traveled by bus from North Carolina to Portsmouth.

Upon his arrival, he obtained a ride to Wheelersburg and was snuck into the juvenile’s residence. The two then took off on foot and they located a building on Ohio River Road where they stayed for a few nights before being found.

Thoroughman said the detectives learned through the investigation that Madison had taken videos and pictures on his phone of a juvenile participating in sexual acts.

On Jan. 15, deputies arrested was Madison and charged him with eight counts of second-degree felony pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and is currently being held in the Scioto County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

Thoroughman stated that this is still an ongoing investigation that will result in more charges being presented to the Scioto County Grand Jury on a later date.

Advertisement

Anyone with information should contact Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending