Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/715680
AUGUST 17-23, 2016 UCW 9 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Governor Pat McCrory and a host of local, state and federal officials cut the ribbon on a six-and-a-half-mile section of Fayetteville's Outer Loop last week. The $146 million project extends the future I-295 from Ramsey Street to Bragg Boulevard, providing Fort Bragg with direct access to I-95, something the Army has wanted for decades. "This is a game changer," said City Councilwoman Kathy Jensen. The project has been on the draw- ing board since the 1980s, but was given unprecedented acceleration in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks. The first phase from I-95 to Ramsey Street opened in 2005. The section still under construction will extend from Bragg Boulevard to the All American Freeway, and comple- tion is expected by the end of the year. Then the next section of the Outer Loop will span three miles from the All American Freeway to Cliffdale Road. The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded an $85.2 million contract for this project in June. It will be completed by 2021. "This is one of the many sections of the Fayetteville Outer Loop we are com- pleting to meet growing transportation, military and logistics demands," said N.C. Secretary of Transportation Nick Tennyson of the section just opened. Construction of Interstate 295 from US 401 to the All-American Freeway was actually scheduled to begin in late 2008, and be completed by 2012, according to the NC DOT. But this project was put on hold in November 2008 because of the recession and the severe shortage of money for highway construction in North Carolina. The delays continued through 2011. Instead of this segment being undertaken as one contract, DOT split the work into three smaller contracts. It began in 2009 on the section from Bragg Boulevard to Murchison Road, us- ing federal stimulus money. The section was completed in 2014. Meanwhile, in March 2011 a contract to construct the portion of the loop between US 401 and Murchison Road was awarded but did not include final paving. Three years later the contract for paving was issued. This is the six-mile segment that opened this month. Gov. McCrory last year encouraged the legislature to accelerate construction of the Outer Loop even faster. It and other local road projects were included in the 2015 state budget. The North Carolina Board of Transportation approved them in January 2016. "The reforms I signed into law will get these roads built sooner," said McCrory. The section extending the loop from Camden Road to Interstate 95 South of Fayetteville will see construction accelerated from 2021 to 2020. The remainder of the 39-mile future I-295 is funded through the state's new transportation funding formula, which Gov. McCrory championed to take the politics out of transportation planning. Under the formula, more than $400 million is targeted to complete the entire loop by 2025. Six Mile Section of I-295 Outer Loop Opened by JEFF THOMPSON N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory, along with military and local leaders opened the new sec- tion of the I-295 Outer Loop last week. A natural gas explosion can be devastating. A single gas leak has leveled city blocks. Recently, a house in the King's Grant com- munity exploded because of a gas leak, badly in- juring the homeowner. "Causes of such instances cannot always be detected," said Fayetteville Fire Marshall Michael Martin. "Natural gas is a safe, reliable and affordable energy choice, but it should be handled properly and with care," according to Piedmont Natural Gas. The com- pany says it's important to be educated about the properties of natural gas and of the potential hazards if natural gas is released through dam- aged or leaking pipelines. Carbon monoxide gas is deadly when inhaled. CO monitors are almost as common as smoke alarms in homes. But, rarely do we hear about alarms that protect against combustible gases. Natural gas and propane gas have pungent odors. The best detector, Martin says, is your nose. "If you smell gas, get out right away." Natural gas is not toxic to humans but it will displace oxygen. This means that a natural gas leak in a confined space could significantly reduce the amount of oxygen in the air and create a dan- gerous environment. Explosions or fires from leaking propane or methane gas can be prevented. Several companies manufacture home monitors. Safe Home ™ natural gas alarms can be purchased at home improvement stores and online. For homes that use natural gas for heating and cooking, the company recommends mount- ing monitors above appliances within six inches of the ceiling or on the ceiling 12 inches from a wall. That's because natural gas is lighter than air and rises. Propane is heavier than air so propane alarms should be mounted 4 to 20 inches off the floor near appliances. Combustible gas alarms sound when the concentration of gas is less than 25 percent of the lower explosive limit. Safety Siren Pro 3 gas alarms plug directly into outlets. Safe-T-Alert, in 120VAC and 230VAC models, have a line cord for correct placement without a nearby outlet. Piedmont Natural Gas recommends the following when someone smells natural gas: After leaving the area, call 911 and Piedmont Natural Gas at 1-800-752-7504 from a neigh- bor's house or from a location far from the smell of the gas. Do not use anything electri- cal that may create a spark; this includes cell phones. Do not operate any light switches or strike a match or cigarette lighter. Do not at- tempt to locate and stop a leak. Do not return to the area until the fire department has declared it safe. Gas fired appliances, including fireplace gas logs, have pilot lights. "They should have blue flames that are yellow near the tip," Fire Marshall Martin said. If the pilot light in your gas appliance or heater shows a lot of yel- low, orange, red, purple or green color, this indicates inefficient combustion and the presence of potentially hazardous chemicals. A yellow or orange pilot light will produce carbon monoxide — an odorless, colorless gas that can fill your home and cause carbon monoxide poisoning. JEFF THOMPSON, Senior News Reporter. COMMENTS? news@upandcomingweekly. com. 910.484.6200. NEWS Could My House Blow Up? by JEFF THOMPSON While natural gas is a safe and efficient energy source, it does pose some dangers.