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I-73/74 Welcome Centers in Randolph County, NC Nixed

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Adam Prince

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May 4, 2007, 9:51:39 PM5/4/07
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"It's enough to say, 'Hi,' when folks enter. At the borders it's fine, but
we must draw the line. Must we welcome them to the state's center?" --NC
Senator David Weinstein, D-Robeson
A bill that passed the NC Senate Appropriations Committee would kill the
plans to convert a pair of Randolph County Rest Areas into an I-73/74
Welcome Center. The reason, Randolph County is in the center of the state.

Originally planned to be a traditional highway rest area, the Randolph
County were upgraded to Welcome Centers at the request of local officials.
NCDOT was going to use $1 million in federal money to build the Welcome
Centers. It would also cost the state $180,000 annually to operate.

The bill orders the DOT and the Department of Commerce to consult and gain
the legislatures approval for any future Welcome Centers.

Story:
http://www.hendersonvillenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/APN/705031990


Bob Malme

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May 6, 2007, 5:39:36 PM5/6/07
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NCDOT has an unfunded project to build a rest area in Rockingham County
where I-73 would cross the Virginia border and had also planned a rest
area north of the SC border along US 1 when that was the route of I-73.
(I assume they'll move that one to the proposed new path along the NC 38
corridor). They have a proposed Rest Area on I-74 just east of I-95 near
Lumberton. A Welcome Center would probably make more sense in these
places than in the middle of the state.

!

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May 6, 2007, 6:56:51 PM5/6/07
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> Story:http://www.hendersonvillenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503...

I think it's a good idea, myself. It wouldn't have to be called a
"Welcome Center", but could be made into a tourism information center.
How much more expensive could a tourism information center be? It
can't be all that much more than just a rest area. The only difference
would be adding on a wing to the restroom building, and hiring a
couple of elderly retirees (or heck, get volunteers) to sit behind the
counter and stock brochures.

Adam Prince

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May 6, 2007, 11:41:04 PM5/6/07
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"!" <Illustriou...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1178492211.6...@l77g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...

Great point. I do wonder if this gets stopped, what will become of the
$1,000,000 in federal funds for the Welcome Center..or if it was for the
Rest Area as a whole.


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