Alleviating current and future congestion is one of the benefits being touted for the proposed N.C. 43 Connector that would run from U.S. 17 Business (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) to south of U.S. 70/U.S. 17 in New Bern.
The city of New Bern submitted the N.C. 43 Connector Project to NCDOT to be considered for funding. Through the Strategic Mobility Formula that prioritizes projects based on safety, congestion, benefit-cost and local priorities, it scored well enough to be funded at the division level due to strong support from the city.
The Board of Aldermen on Tuesday voted to endorse Alternative 2 of the planned project, which cuts through the Craeberne Forest and Arcadia Village/Trent Creek subdivisions, and asks that consideration be given for sound barriers for the affected subdivisions.
Transportation officials presented preliminary concepts on the connector project at a public meeting on May 21, at the River Bend Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.
More information is available on the project website, with maps also available on the NCDOT public meetings site.
COST AND TIMELINE
| Milestone | Estimated Amount* |
| Project Development and Design | $ 1,000,000 |
| Property Acquisition | $ 2,000,000 |
| Construction Costs | $ 9,000,000 |
| Total Cost | $ 12.000.000 |
* Estimated Costs as shown in Current 2018-2027 STIP and are subject to change
| Milestone | Date* |
| Open House Public Meeting | May 2018 |
| Right of Way Acquisition | October 2018 |
| Project Let (Contract Award) | June 2019 |
| Begin Construction | September 2019 |
| Complete Construction | December 2021 |
* Future dates are subject to change
So why are there so many “Future 42” signs much farther north and much farther south on Route 70??
U.S. 70 is future Interstate 42. N.C. 43 connector starts at N.C. 43 at Neuse Boulevard (near Bosch) and at present connects with U.S. 70, then continues on for a bit and stops at a dead-end in the woods. This project would continue the connector from the dead-end through to U.S. 17/Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
my house backs up to Trent Creek road, which I understand will be widened for the NC 43 connector, has this project been put on hold?
This project was scheduled for right-of-way acquisition in Fiscal Year 2020 and is not listed among delayed projects. The projected path of the 43 connector is already established, so there should be no surprises.