County leaders issue statement on Liledoun Road washout
Alexander County Government leaders posted the following on the County Facebook page on May 8, 2020:
“As most citizens are aware, Liledoun Road remains closed approximately 11 months after the flooding that occurred in June 2019. Alexander County Government understands the inconvenience and frustration caused by this road closure. The County wants everyone to understand that is a North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) project, as counties have no jurisdiction over road repairs. This project requires DOT funding from the state; no county funds may be used for this repair.”Alexander County Government is just as frustrated as our citizens because this much-needed repair is taking an unprecedented amount of time to complete on a very important road. County Commissioners and staff have repeatedly contacted the DOT, which is run by the Secretary of Transportation who is a member of the Governor’s Cabinet. The County has also reached out to our State Representative and State Senator, who have provided assistance with information and continue to lobby for the road’s repair.
“Larry Yoder, Vice Chairman of the Alexander County Board of Commissioners, serves on the Transportation Advisory Committee for the Western Piedmont Council of Governments. Commissioner Yoder said he will not rest until this repair is made. During his discussions, DOT officials and legislators have told him that it is a funding issue. When the project was originally bid, the bids were much higher than anticipated (more than $1 million) and the bids were rejected. Since that time, the DOT has reported that they have lost $300 million in funds due to COVID-19 and they are anticipating a $350 million shortfall for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Commissioner Yoder said he was told the road would be repaired this spring, but he remains unsure of the project start date at this time.
“Rest assured, when Alexander County Government receives notification and updates about the repair of Liledoun Road, we will let our citizens know.
“Again, this is a DOT issue and Alexander County has no control over this matter, but we are working hard to fight for this important roadway to be repaired as soon as possible,” the statement concluded.
