Ahoskie Bypass Dispute

By: Annette Newell/Eyewitness News 9 | WNCT
Published: January 08, 2008

As our community grows, many of us in the east would probably like to see more roads to relieve traffic. But citizens in one area have mobilized against a plan to expand a major road. They say it's a plan, that doesn't make sense and this is a battle that pits tourism and growth, against home owners in the Ahoskie area.

It was standing room only, at the Hertford county high school cafeteria. The grassroots group, citizens against the Ahoskie bypass gathered tonight, to draw their line in the sand.

Kent Williams a member of citizens against the Ahoskie bypass said, “Numerous homes, numerous acres of farmland that will be affected if you put this bypass around Ahoskie to Windsor. Windsor wants, Windsor officials want this bypass, they say for tourism and retirement communities.

They're upset about this plan: from the North Carolina department of transportation: in Bertie and Hertford counties. It would widen U.S. 13 to four lanes, between Lowellville and Windsor, with a 4 lane bypass around Ahoskie. Opponents fear the plan would steamroll hundreds of homes and several churches and cemeteries in the east.

Ahoskie mayor Linda Blackburn said, “I am not for an Ahoskie bypass, I don't even like the word bypass, it means, don't go there.”

Though the plan has homeowners and landowners seeing red, it has tourism supporters seeing green.

Bob Spivey the Windsor Mayor said, “Through the years they have bypassed bethel, they have bypassed Robersonville, they have bypassed Williamston and they've bypassed Windsor, the only one left in this link to hook us into Virginia is Ahoskie.