Ep. 1: What is U-5860?

In this kickoff episode of Wake Up Washington, host Ellen Brabo, Coordinator of the 15th Street Coalition, breaks down the basics of NCDOT Project U-5860, the proposed widening of 15th Street in Washington, North Carolina.

What is a “superstreet”? Why is NCDOT planning to expand 15th Street to a 4 lane divided highway with a raised concrete median? And why are more than 500 residents speaking out in opposition?

Backed by hundreds of hours of research and conversations with engineers, city leaders, and planning officials, this episode sets the stage for understanding what’s happening, and what’s at stake.

Whether you’re just tuning in or have followed the project from the beginning, this episode will give you a clear, accessible foundation for everything to come.

Learn more or sign the petition at 15thStreetCoalition.com.

Transcript

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Hey, y'all. Welcome to Wake Up Washington. I'm Ellen Brabo, the coordinator of the fifteenth Street Coalition, a group of more than 500 local residents, business owners, and neighbors who are pushing back against the proposed widening of Fifteenth Street in Washington, North Carolina. We've created this podcast to bring transparency to our community, to help break down what's being proposed, why it's happening, and what alternatives we believe are better for our city's future. Over the last several months, we've had countless conversations ranging from conversations with city staff, NCDOT engineers, private engineering firms, members of the Mid East Rural Planning Organization, and even elected officials both locally and from across the state. We've poured hundreds of hours into research to better understand this project and the decisions surrounding it. The more we learn, the more questions we ask, the more the widening simply doesn't make sense, and the more clear it has become that we as a community need to keep pushing for something better. Each episode in this series will unpack a key piece of the puzzle with the goal of helping our neighbors stay informed and empowered. Let's get into it. Project u fifty eight sixty is the North Carolina Department of Transportation's proposed plan to widen a 1.8 mile stretch of Fifteenth Street between Carolina Avenue and US 264 in Washington. The proposed design in its current form would widen Fifteenth Street into a four lane divided highway with a 17 and a half foot concrete median. It includes a 10 foot wide multi use path and a five foot sidewalk with crosswalks only added at signaled intersections. Intersections at Carolina Avenue, Minuteman Lane, Pierce Street, and North Market would become signalized u-turn points, and the traffic signal at Washington Street would be removed. There will be no traffic signal added at the intersection of Van Norden Street as initially proposed. Free flowing left turns will be allowed at Washington Street and Van Norden Street without a traffic signal and without pedestrian crossing points. At this time, there are no crosswalks intended east of North Market Street, and no crosswalk intended to be added at the intersection of Carolina Avenue. On paper NCDOT says this project is about improving safety and accessibility, but let's pause and really think about the implications. This design would create a divided highway in the middle of a residential and business corridor. It would remove direct left turns into homes, shops, and the majority of side streets. It expands the roadway from 60 feet to nearly 95 feet, which means dozens of residents and businesses will lose significant portions of their property. Some will lose everything. It prioritizes vehicle speed and volume rather than safety, walkability, neighborhood access, or livability. This project is often referred to by its design type which is a

super street and super streets are designed for one thing: 2:50

moving cars through a place, not supporting the people who live and work there. Now this project has been in the works for nearly three decades but not in its current form. Back in February, fifteenth Street was flagged for safety improvements. The original idea was to add a center turn lane, but in 2014 the way the project was funded changed, and with it the design. What started as a safety project morphed into a widening project. Since then two completely different visions for the corridor have emerged. On one side you have NCDOT's widening plan which is currently on the table and on the other you have the Stantec design an alternative design created with input from over 600 local residents and adopted by the Washington City Council in 2021. We will dive more into that in episode three. What matters for now is that the Super Street design was not asked for by this community and it has been consistently opposed. In fact, 88% of the public comments submitted to NCDOT earlier this year oppose the current plan. Let's be real, This isn't just about infrastructure. This is about the character of our town. It's about whether small businesses survive or disappear, whether residents can safely cross the street, whether Washington becomes a place people want to drive through or belong to. And at the end of the day, we all want improvements to Fifteenth Street, but we want the kind of improvements that support community, not divide it. This widening project doesn't reflect who we are or who we want to be. Thank you for listening to Wake Up Washington. I'm Ellen Bravo. On behalf of the fifteenth Street Coalition, thank you for waking up with us. If this episode helped clarify some things for you, we ask that you would do two things. Visit fifteenthstreetcoalition.com and sign the petition opposing the widening of Fifteenth Street. But don't stop there. Share this episode with a neighbor, subscribe so you don't miss our future updates, and help us continue building momentum for a safer, smarter, and more community centered Washington.