A federal lawsuit was filed Thursday challenging the construction of the Havelock bypass. George Olsen has more.
The filing by the Southern Environmental Law Center in the U-S District Court for the eastern district of North Carolina says the proposed route for the Havelock bypass is the most damaging route available for the proposed bypass. The filing on behalf of the Sierra Club says the route which cuts through the Croatan National Forest would damage more wetlands, streams and wildlife habitat than other alternatives. It also alleges state and federal transportation officials failed to fully assess the impact of the bypass. A press release from the Southern Environmental Law Center also questions the need for the bypass, saying travelers would only save eight minutes maximum while costing taxpayers $179 million. I’m George Olsen.