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Public offers comments on U.S. 95 Council alternate route

Comments gathered at a recent public hearing in Council ranged from support for a planned alternate route to concerns about how a holding pond will affect property values.

The hearing, held at the Council High School, was designed to give residents the opportunity to submit comments on a proposed new U.S. 95 route in Council. The project is designed to improve pedestrian and traffic safety, and reduce congestion and through traffic on U.S. 95 in downtown Council.

Melvin Jenkins, who has lived in Council since 1949, said he supports giving trucks a new route that will allow them to avoid two 90-degree turns that are on U.S. 95 as it passes through the town.

“I feel the two 90-degree turns have been a bottleneck ever since I’ve lived here,” he said.

While Jenkins and some other residents support the alternate route, a proposed holding pond that is designed to contain run-off from the new route concerns others.

“I live right next door to the proposed location of the pond,” said William Gipe, who has lived in Council for 8 years. “I don’t mind it being there as long as it’s not a visual eyesore.”

Preliminary engineering for the alternate route is underway and expected to be completed in 2013. At that time, a public hearing will be held and right-of-way acquisition will begin. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2015 and should be completed by fall of 2016.