By Jim Buice

Enterprise Record

BERMUDA RUN – The demolition of the gatehouse at the entrance to Bermuda Run Drive on US 158 on Feb. 9 signaled the start of the long-awaited roundabout project on the west side of the Yadkin River bridge.

Lee Rollins, town manager, said that tearing down the gatehouse was required as part of the project, where work on the actual roundabout is expected to start in mid- to late-March.

“At least one lane of 158 will be open at all times,” Rollins said. “The contracted completion date is early November.”

In the Feb. 10 Bermuda Run Town Council meeting, Mayor Ken Rethmeier said that he was pleased to see the first stage of work begin at the busy intersection at Bermuda Run Drive and the BB&T Soccer Complex.

“It was good to finally see the project begin,” Rethmeier said. “The volume of traffic coming across that bridge now is increasing every day. When they start traveling at 55 and 60 mph across the bridge, someone is going to get hurt. The value that the project will achieve is calming the traffic as it was intended.”

Rollins said that the new gatehouse, as well as the necessary grading and stormwater controls, are to be completed by April 30. In the meantime, residents and club guests will enter and exit from the NC 801 gatehouse on Bing Crosby Boulevard.

Councilwoman Shirley Cagle said that the Bermuda Run Drive guardhouse was taken down in two hours.

“They’re proceeding quickly,” she said, “and I hope that’s it’s completed very quickly. I left the 801 gate about 7:30 Monday morning, and there truly was not any more traffic going out than there was at any other time. I’m happy with the progress.”

Councilman John Guglielmi commented on a potential traffic congestion problem as the result of the US 158 gatehouse entrance being closed.He noted on a recent day about 5 p.m. that some 20 cars were in the left-hand turn lane coming from the west on US 158 wanting to turn left onto NC.801 heading south.

“That is going to be a very, very large problem one of these days,” Guglielmi said. “I don’t think we should put our head in the sand. We need to be proactive there, whatever it takes.”

Rollins said that the town would continue to monitor traffic, as it was the first week of the Bermuda Run Drive closure.

In the only business item in the monthly meeting of the Town Council, proposed administrative text amendments to the Zoning Ordinance were approved unanimously.

Erin Burris, the town’s zoning administrator, gave an overview of the proposed amendments, which are intended to provide additional design standards for non-residential buildings and standards for building mounted solar panels.

Following her presentation, a required public hearing was held, where no one spoke. Staff and the planning board had recommended approval, and the council then concurred.

The council also:

• decided to table making an appointment to the Triad Municipal ABC Board to provide time for further study;

• heard from resident Jim Rockaway of 257 Riverbend Drive, who expressed concern about a recurring problem with trespassers on his property and that of his neighbors extending to the Yadkin River using two-wheel and four-wheel vehicles. They have notified the sheriff’s department regarding their concerns about the unwanted activity in the area and noted a new parking lot in conjunction with the BB&T Soccer Complex that provides uncontrolled access. Rockaway said he hoped the council could help with the problem.