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By Jim Buice

For the Clemmons Courier

BERMUDA RUN — If residents were surprised by the repaving work being done by NCDOT on U.S. 158 in Bermuda Run last week, they weren’t the only ones.

Town Manager Andrew Meadwell said in last Tuesday night’s Bermuda Run Town Council meeting that the town “found out like most of you when we saw the equipment being unloaded,” adding that this is a NCDOT resurfacing project.

“This project was let, I think, two years ago,” he said. “If you recall last summer, DOT contractors were working on 158 going out of Bermuda Run toward Baltimore Road. So they started this end of the project at the Yadkin River bridge coming forward (to Peachtree Lane). They did not let the town know that they were going to be doing this work.”

Meadwell added that it was his understanding that paving was supposed to start Monday night (April 7) at the roundabout but this schedule is up to the contractor that won that bid through NCDOT.

The paving is underway but slowed due to the rains last week.

“The town has really no influence on driving or directing this.” Meadwell said. “Hopefully, the paving will go a little bit smoother than the milling did.”

In a business item in last Tuesday night’s meeting, the council approved a resolution to accept a directed projects grant of $2,216,250 from the 2023 Appropriations Act, Department of Environmental Quality, for the Division of Wastewater Infrastructure Project.

Meadwell said that N.C. Senator Steve Jarvis was instrumental in getting this funding for Bermuda Run, mostly in Bermuda Run East, which is the only area that the town owns and maintains.

Mayor Mike Brannon added the goal is for Bermuda Run “to get out of the wastewater business and ultimately turn that over to the county. This is a significant amount of money that allows us to take the next step in that process.”

Also in the meeting, Brannon provided a reminder on the upcoming opening of the Flags at the Blue Heron Trail project, which will be Tuesday, at 11:30 a.m. at the U.S. 158 roundabout in front of WinMock, with the inaugural flag-raising ceremony.

“We expect to have a military presence along with that,” he said, adding that Wayne Thomas with WinMock has volunteered to raise and lower the flags when necessary. The U.S., N.C. and Davie County flags will be on display, and there will be a large Bermuda Run medallion at the plaza.

“This flag project is in Bermuda Run, but we think of it as a gateway to the county, and we’re very proud to have that,” said Brannon, who praised the Vision Committee and the work of all the volunteers who helped make it possible.

In addition, Brannon talked about a different component of the Blue Heron Trail — the official opening of Phase II with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 21 at the I-40 pedestrian bridge.

When the I-40 widening project was underway several years ago, the town partnered with the NCDOT to replace the pedestrian bridge that many years was used as part of the Bahnson family farm.

The opening of the bridge allowed the town to not only connect to more walkable communities, Brannon said, but also to the Truist Sports Park playground and the broader recreational areas of NC Fusion (soccer parks) and RISE Indoor Sports.

“It was quite a crowd,” he said of the ceremony, “and it was great to have all the people there. I also wanted to thank again Sally McGuire and Ken Bingham from Hillsdale Group as well as Scott Wollaston from NC Fusion. Their partnership and generosity helped make that Phase II opening of our pedestrian bridge happen. Without them, we’d still be talking about Phase II.”

In other highlights from last Tuesday night’s meeting, the council:

• Heard from Brannon regarding an all-day planning session on March 25, which included discussions on the budget, new and active projects, and a future vision of the town 10 to 20 years from now.
• Was introduced to Dep. Josh Whitlock from the Davie County Sheriff’s Office, who will serve as the new community officer for Bermuda Run. “I will try to make myself available for everyone and do whatever I can to help,” he said
• Heard a presentation from Brent Harpe and Michelle Ellis of Davie County Senior Services who spoke about the many services provided by the organization, which has six full-time and six part-time workers along with more than over 100 volunteers.