Bethlehem inches closer to intersection

Bethlehem officials hope to see actual work in the long-awaited intersection at Hwy. 11 and Carl-Bethlehem Road in just a few weeks.

Guy Herring of McFarland-Dyer and Associates sent an update via e-mail to the council for its Monday night meeting saying the state Department of Transportation has approved the final set of plans and they had been sent to the Gainesville office for release of the work permit. The next step will be to advertise for the work bids.

The town recently obtained three right-of-way transactions from Chang Real Estate (BP Station, $15,000), Mason and Shirley Orr (old post office, $3,244) and Charles Harrison ($20,000, tire store) for a total of $38,244.

Mayor Sandy McNab said he expects work on the intersection to begin soon. Council member Wayne Ridgeway initially expressed some concern of how it might affect the upcoming Bethlehem Star Festival in October and wondered if perhaps it should be postponed for a year. McNab and other council members said they were confidant that would not be necessary and Ridgeway agreed.

“We’ve waited a long time for this and it seems we about to see it happen,” McNab said.