Clayton Bypass Fails to Win National Award

The U.S. 70 Clayton Bypass, a finalist in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' America's Transportation Award competition, failed this week to bring home the big prizes.

The Grand Prize went to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for its replacement of the I-35 W Minneapolis Bridge, and the People's Choice Award went to the Florida DOT for the 95 Express Miami.

"The US 70 Bypass is a beautiful and outstanding stretch of road that fully deserves its ranking as one of the nation's best," said Mayor Jody McLeod. "Losing out to two other outstanding projects doesn't diminish its value to us or the region. It has been a huge help to the town by easing the load of traffic, and it has added quite a bit of beauty to the area as well."

The project was one of 10 nationwide vying for both awards. The winners were named at the AASHTO annual meeting in Palm Desert, Calif.

Despite the loss on the national level, the Bypass was recently named a "NC Scenic Byway." State officials said the 10.7-mile stretch of highway, which opened two years ago, helps "to embody the diverse beauty and culture of the Tar Heel State and provide travelers with a safe and interesting alternate route."

In addition, the Bypass is one of two NCDOT projects that recently won regional awards. NCDOT received an America's Transportation Southeast Regional Award for the bypass in the "On-Time" category on Aug. 31. The roadway, constructed by S.T. Wooten Corporation of Wilson, opened a year ahead of schedule.

The $123 million roadway, which begins at Interstate 40 mile marker 310 in Wake County and runs to the US 70 / US 70 Business split in Johnston County, is credited with significantly reducing the amount of traffic that once clogged the US 70 corridor though town. Accidents are down as a result, and driving around town is much easier. Motorists who take U.S. 70 can expect to save about 15 minutes of travel time by using the new bypass.

To help keep drivers informed, the bypass features the state's first fully automated speed detection system. Speed sensors located throughout the project allow Dynamic Message Signs to display real-time travel information, including estimated drive times. Motorists on existing U.S. 70 are also informed of travel conditions ahead and have the opportunity to select their route accordingly. The project also includes numerous environmental stewardship efforts due to its close proximity to the Swift Creek watershed. These features include a wildlife underpass, hazardous spill basins and various erosion control devices to help protect the area's ecosystem.

The America's Transportation Awards competition is designed to identify and promote transportation improvements that have made a real difference to the people and businesses in their communities. The awards recognize projects that demonstrate specific measurement, process management, and quality assurance methods used to deliver a quality product and demonstrate effective schedule management from start to completion.