Corey Davis
www.rockymounttelegram.com

In an effort to boost economic development and commerce between North Carolina and Virginia, U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan recently announced she has introduced a bill designed to turn U.S. 64 and U.S. 17 into a future interstate highway.

According to a release, the legislation specifies the Raleigh-Norfolk interstate would begin in Raleigh and pass through Rocky Mount, Williamston and Elizabeth City to Norfolk, Va.

The stretch of U.S. 64 between Interstate 95 in Rocky Mount and Interstate 440 in Raleigh was announced last year by the N.C. Department of Transportation to be designated "future I-495" until the project is completed.

"Designating these highways as a future interstate is another step in improving North Carolina's 
transportation network," said Hagan, D-N.C. "By 
continuing to invest in our existing infrastructure, we can put more North Carolinians to work, better link our state's capitol and the busy port of Hampton Roads to Eastern North Carolina and ensure federal highway dollars are spent wisely."

Hagan spokesman Micah Beasley said the bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Hagan will be working with her colleagues to move the bill forward. Beasley said Congress designated Corridor 13 running from Raleigh to Norfolk as a priority in the national highway system in 1991. It was designated as one of 21 high-priority corridors for future federal highway funding by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act.

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