Plans to expand I-440 in Raleigh could have a major impact on Meredith College. State transportation officials held a public hearing this week on proposed plans for the expansion.Meredith President Jo Allen said under any of the proposals, her school's campus would suffer. The private, all-women's college stands to lose 10 to 17 acres from the western part of its campus.
Allen says one widening plan would put lights and heavily traveled lanes right up against a residence hall.
"Another version impacts our commuter lot the most where we're losing students' access for parking and going to class,” Allen said.
A third plan would cost Meredith an area that Allen said is the school's best site for future expansion.
The state Department of Transportation’s website says right-of-way land acquisition begins next year followed by the start of construction.
Allen said the school has already lost a significant amount of land to earlier highway projects.
"All of those plus this project will result in our having lost one fifth of our campus and 20 percent is a lot of land to lose,” Allen said.
