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RBC ES TRL TE TP TAR a Ve pr oa Tag TTT NTR Se Rr nr re
Bai EE i
March 13, 2003
The Kings Mountain Herald
OAK _GROVE |
oo —-.
NE TO KINGS MOUNTAIN
TO
on
SHELBY, / Lif gy
A aE
KINGS MOUNTAIN
Drawing of construction work to begin in April at Highway 74 Business/Bypass bridge. The DOT will eliminate the left turn for 74 Business westbound
traffic. Motorists getting onto 74 Bypass from the westbound 74 Business must take the right lane loop.
LEFT TURN
From 1A
Officials of the DOT and Highway
Patrol are encouraging motorists to
go ahead and begin using the right-
lane loop to gain entrance to West 74
Bypass.
“We hope they'll go ahead and
start using the loop and get used to
it,” Humphries said. “When con-
struction starts we ask that people
pay attention to the people working
in the zone. We will have to close
the inside lanes for safety of the
workers and Highway 74 will be
reduced to one lane each way dur-
ing that period of time.” The inside
lanes will be re-opened at night, he
said.
David Allen, First Sgt. of the NC
Highway Patrol Office in Shelby,
said Troopers will “pay special
attention” to the area during the
construction process.
“Basically our goal is to enforce
the engineering that the DOT puts in
place,” Allen said. “Our main
responsibility is to see that the way
it’s designed is the way the
motorists are using that section of
roadway.”
Using the right lane loop “may
take a little bit more time,” Allen
said, “but in the end we do believe
it’s going to be safer. It’s going to
correct a problem that currently
exists out there. We'll be asking for
voluntary compliance whenever we
start with this.”
According to Humphries, approxi-
mately 10,000 vehicles per day enter
the intersection and during the peak
hour (3-4 p.m.) approximately 20
percent of the movements are from
northbound left turns to the west-
bound ramp.
“The intersection was designed for
people to take the loop the whole
time,” Humphries said. “I'm not
sure of the history of how it evolved
the way it did (with the left turning
_lane). But this will be more efficient.
Turning right eliminates conflicts of
turning across traffic. It will be
much safer.”
BUDGET
From 1A
said Maney.
The renegotiation of the
Crowder’s Creek contract, which
allows the city to pay for only the
sewage it sends, will save the city
approximately $12 million, said
Murphrey. Also the four-year con-
tract with Duke Power will keep cit-
izens from having a rate change for
the next four years. The new peak
shaving plants will also continue to
save the city money.
1999 Saturn SL
Beautiful 4 door, One Owner,
48K miles, 5 speed, AC
Sale *4,980 or 99m"
1998 Nissan Frontier
King Cab XE
Auto, AC, Only 37,000 miles
Sale *9,586 or 225m
2000 Chevrolet Venture
One Owner, Loaded,
40K, Excellent.
“We're just elated to be able to do
that in these economic down times,”
said Murphrey. “We're always look-
ing for ways to save money. We're
just excited to be able to do that
again this year.”
The new budget has only two
part-time and one full-time person-
nel proposals, including a part-time
library assistant, a part-time fire-
fighter, and a full-time DCI
Communications Supervisor for the
police department. The new budget
also includes a 5 percent salary raise
and a 2 percent cost of living raise
for city employees. Maney said it
has been several years since they
have had a raise of any kind.
Murphrey and Maney both com-
mended the city employees, saying
that they do an excellent job and
that the city needs to care for them.
“We want to make sure we keep
the people we have. We need to
take care of them,” he said.
The city also continued its cycle of
preventive maintenance. Several
equipment purchases were added
into the budget, as a result.
Maney said the things he is most
proud of accomplishing during his
time as city manager are the renego-
tiation of the Crowder’s Creek con-
tract, the establishment of the peak
shaving plant, and the decision to
self-insure the city.
The new budget will be almost $1
* million higher than last year’s budg-
et, although the only major change
is in the natural gas. Natural gas
will cost the city approximately $1
million more in 2003-2004 fiscal year
because of the recent sharp increase
in cost.
Because of the economic down
times, the city has also opted to hold
off on cycle billing for a little while
longer, said Maney.
City plans
$160,000
of paving
BY ABIGAIL WOLFORD
Staff Writer
The City of Kings
Mountain recently began its
annual paving project. This
year, the paving contract
was awarded to Asphalt
Paving of Shelby, Inc.
The city maintains
approximately 56.74 miles
of streets, although Mayor
Rick Murphrey pointed out
that the area is really twice
as long once each lane is
paved. The state maintains
12 miles of the city.
This year, the paving will
include Cansler Street (from
East Gold Street to Walker
Street), Goforth Street (from
King Street to the dead end,
from Landing Street to
Mountain Street, and from
Mountain Street to King
Street), Ramsuer Street
(from Lackey Street to
McGinnis Street), Mounte
Vista (from Wilson Street to
Falls Street), and Falls Street
(from Battleground Avenue
to the dead end).
The paving will cost
approximately $160,000.
Every year, the city applies
for money to pave the
streets, said Murphrey.
“I think it’s important
that we pave every year so
that we don’t get behind in
our paving,” he said.
The paving money usual-
ly comes from the state
Powell Bill money, which
comes from gas taxes, said
Murphrey. The city usually
receives the money in
October.
As soon as the winter is
over, cities usually start
paving since asphalt plants
have to wait until the
weather clears up to begin
work each year, said
Murphrey. The weather
needs to be above freezing
with no rain, he said.
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2000 GMC Jimmy SLS
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1999 Jeep Cherokee 2 Door
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Sale $7,890 or 140 Sale *7,908 or *176"
1 997 Chevy Blazer LS
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1998 Dodge Ram Sport
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Sale 9,980 or *179™" Sale *11,562 or $240"
2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
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2000 Cadillac Catera
One Owner, Leather,
Pwr. Roof, Chrome Wheels
1999 Jeep Wrangler
4x4, 50,762 miles, Automatic
Just Arrived,
Call for Details!
1997 Mercury Mountaineer
V8, All Wheel Drive,
Leather, Roof, 70K miles
Sale 9, 180 or rs20g
1997 GMC Sierra SLE
Ext. Cab
One Owner, 53K, 5.7 V8, Loaded
Sale 13,480 or $299"
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Exit 8, I-85/Hwy 161,
Kings Mountain, NC
704-739-6011
www.diamondchevy.com
2000 Ford F150 Lariat
10 Miles from
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- Shelby
Exit 8
Diamond
Chevrolet
WE’LL BE THERE™