Family Wants Guardrail Between Them and I-85 Traffic

Hillsborough, N.C. — A family living a stone's throw from Interstate 85 in Orange County says its time for the state to help protect them, but the state Department of Transportation is making no commitments.

“It's not very far to the highway. If a tractor-trailer came down there, that'd be it,” said Stephanie Umstead. She worries about letting her daughter Kaylee, 4, play in their yard.

In the two years the family has lived off I-85 near Hillsborough, four cars have come speeding off the interstate, crashing into their yard, Umstead said. She has several trashed trees and a leaning utility pole to show for it.

The latest wreck was the day after Thanksgiving.

“It sounded like an explosion out here, and I came out and I saw smoke all over the place and I saw a someone trying to climb out of the car,” Umstead remembered Friday.

“I just want a guardrail. I don't want a brick wall. I don't need a sound barrier. I just need something at the top of that hill that I know is gonna keep me safe and stop somebody from coming down here and running into my home,” she said.

DOT District Engineer Chuck Edwards sent a survey crew to Stephanie Umstead's house, and he said the state is investigating whether a guardrail is the right move. Steel beam guardrail costs $25 a foot, and state funds are limited.

The DOT said engineers will make a decision on the guardrail request in about two weeks.

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Latest Comments

Dont like the tax structure, MOVE. Thats one things wrong with all these newcomers, they want to do it the way it was done where they came from. Get over it you are in NC now or go back. The best I know, Delta and Greyhound have multiple departures everyday, some even going to Oaky.

Nothing New
February 3, 2007 11:08 p.m.

I don't think she's asking for too much. All she is asking for is protection between herself and they highway.

kaecee
February 3, 2007 5:44 p.m.

I don't understand the problem. What she is asking is for the state to increase the value of the property by putting in a guard rail. When you rent or buy you pay based on the condition of the property and its location. If its very close to train tracks the value goes down. If its backs up to highways the value goes down. Now we are suppose to use tax dollars to increase the value of the property when the road was there before the house was either built or rolled to the location. Don't kid yourself, it is about the money. There is a value to safety and life. This guardrail would essentially increase the value of the property at our expense. I don't think so. Put up the guardrail at the expense of the property owner and everybody is happy.

spent87
February 3, 2007 4:16 p.m.

Ummm...she did see the highway when she bought the house, didn't she?

E-Diva
February 3, 2007 3:10 p.m.

I live on a street where there are four way stopes for the first several intersections. Then we come to a two way stop. People think by that time the other person in the cross stree is going to stop also. No, they don't!Several wrecks over the last twenty years. Neighborhood patitions and near fatalities did no good. Now after twenty years ther is a sign that states cross street traffic dosen't stop. How easy is that ! How easy would it have been twenty years ago. Good luck lady, my advice is buy your own guard rails

St Ives
February 3, 2007 1:11 p.m.