Stop the project, or at least delay it until a better alternative can be developed. That’s the message several homeowners and business owners sent to the Washington City Council concerning the proposed 15^th Street improvement project that runs from Carolina Avenue (U.S. Highway 17 Business) to John Small Avenue (U.S. Highway 264) near Vidant Beaufort Hospital.

Some speakers at the hearing conducted by the council Thursday night contended the proposed project would create more problems than it would solve. Homeowners said right-of-way acquisition for the proposed project would take some of their land and lower the values of their houses. Business owners said the proposed plan would restrict access to their businesses and take some of their land, reducing parking space. Others said the proposed project would create additional impervious surface, creating more stormwater runoff and worsen an already bad drainage situation.

The council said it would review the comments — including written comments sent to the city — and share those comments with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, which budgeted $16 million for the proposed project. The council is expected to make a recommendation concerning the proposed project to NCDOT.

As Jeff Cabaniss, a DOT planner, explained the proposed project, he said any radical changes to the proposed project would result in DOT having to start over with the proposed project. Several people in the Council Chambers, which was filled to capacity, began chanting: “Start over. Start over. Start over.”

Jeff Conway, owner of Beaufort Monument Co. at the intersection of 15^th and North Market streets, opposed the project as proposed.

“Presently, we have six parking spaces. If this project goes through, it would reduce it to two. … Our display area … our business is different from a lot of businesses. Our products have to be displayed outside. This will take away approximately 40 percent of our display area. So, that’s a reduction in the number of products we’re able to display. Therefore, it will decrease our sales.”

Several speakers said the city must delay the project and seek alternatives that would have fewer, if any, negative effects on property owners and business owners but still address the safety issue related to increased traffic on 15^th Street. Others said the proposed medians would hinder responses by firefighters and EMS personnel.

Councilman Doug Mercer questioned the need to spend $16 million on the project.

“There are two things that trouble me. One, as I understand this project, is the $16 million, plus or minus. That’s a tremendous amount of money to put into a project that’s about a mile. I understand the concern is safety along 15^th Street. … It would appear to me that the placement of four additional stoplights along that 15^th Street corridor would address a major part of the safety issues that are on that roadway,” Mercer said. “Then the placement of a median device of some type, it might be the reflectorized units like you’ve got on River Road there at Brick Kiln Road, to prevent turning into two of the driveways that are on that street.”

Mercer said stoplights cost about $50,000 each and a median system costs about $50,000 to install. “Four stoplights and two medians — you’re talking a half a million dollars, which I think will solve the problem, versus $16 million that your project calls for,” Mercer said to Cabaniss. Mercer’s comment drew applause from the audience.

Councilman Richard Brooks endorsed Mercer’s suggestion and believes the city should explore that option, among others.

City Manager Bobby Roberson noted that DOT has made two changes to the proposed project in response to public input.

DOT spokesmen have said the project’s goal is to reduce the number of vehicles crashes on 15^th Street. Crashes on the western section of the project corridor occur about three times more frequently than crashes on similar roads in other areas of the state, according to DOT figures.