Some Wilson Residents May Create New Town, Stop Road Construction

It's easy to mistake the building boom for Raleigh or Cary, but this is Wilson County. Northwest Wilson is the place to be in this part of the state.

That is why some city leaders are encouraging the DOT to go ahead with plans for a new intersection here at I-95, three miles from town.

"This intersection has actually been on the drawing board for five years. It was something that we felt we need to tie ourselves to the interchange and to give a northern artery out of town," said Bruce Beasely of theWilson Chamber of Commerce.

Not so fast, say some landowners who live near the intersection. About 150 residents are petitioning the state not to create the intersection.

The way they see it, it can only mean heavy traffic and annexation into theCity of Wilson.They are considering an unusual plan to keep the city away.

"We haven't had anybody listen to us favorably, so we decided that to protect our interests, we needed to pursue and look at our idea of incorporating and have a new town inWilson County," said landowner Vanise Hardee.

That's right. They may create their own town. They believe the intersection is politically motivated and not necessary.

Construction is scheduled to start in two years. Supporters say growth is something to be encouraged, not opposed.

"It's hard to contain development or direct development. It moves its own way, and that's the way that it's moving," said Beasely.

"If we had wanted to be in a major city like Wilson or Raleigh or Cary, we would have moved there and built there," said Hardee.