After attending a meeting with state Department of Transportation officials in Wilson today, Roanoke Rapids Mayor D.N. Beale says the tolling of Interstate 95 is a reality.

“They cleared up a lot of things,” Beale told council during its meeting tonight.

One of the things cleared up, the mayor said, “The tolling of I 95 is going to happen. Eventually it’s going to happen.”

Late last month the North Carolina Turnpike Authority took possession of $1.01 billion in bond proceeds and federal loans allowing it to award construction contracts to build the state's first modern toll road, the Triangle Expressway in Wake and Durham counties, a July 29 press release from the authority said.

Beale said it was not clear when the move to tolling the heavily traveled I-95 would happen, but it would most likely occur within the next five to 10 years. There have already been engineering studies.

The mayor said there was no mention of revenues from the tolling of the highway. 

The Triangle Expressway is a new-location roadway from the NC 55 Bypass near Holly Springs to I-40 at NC 147. This toll road system is approximately 18.8 miles in length and is comprised of three segments: Western Wake Freeway, Triangle Parkway and existing NC 540 between NC 55 and NC 54.  The project is a six-lane, controlled-access toll road and is expected to save customers up to 20 minutes per full trip.  The Triangle Parkway is scheduled to open to traffic in 2011 while the Western Wake Freeway is scheduled to open to traffic in 2012.   

According to the press release, the Triangle Expressway will be the first project in the United States designed and built to use an all electronic toll collection system, meaning there will be no toll booths and no stopping to pay tolls.  Customers may use cash, check or credit card to buy an electronic transponder that will automatically charge for road use.  For those without a transponder, overhead gantries with high-speed camera imaging systems will capture license plate information and drivers will be billed.  The Triangle Expressway toll rates have not been set, however similar toll facilities around the country charge tolls in the range of 10 to 20 cents per mile.

In other city road matters Beale said he and the officials talked about extending Premier Boulevard to the Holiday Inn Express off NC 125.

The bridge has been designed with hopes businesses will build on either side of it, Beale said. There are, however, right of way issues that must still be worked out.

In other matters tonight council:

• Approved the conveyance of land located at 10th and Cedar streets to Halifax-Northampton Habitat for Humanity. Habitat will use that property to build a house after it finishes one on Glover Street.

• Listened to a brief farewell message from Interim City Manager Pete Connet. Connet will be leaving next Thursday after he briefs incoming City Manager Paul Sabiston on city issues, he said.

“I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve for the last 2 1/2 months,” Connet said. “It’s been a pleasure to serve you. You’ve got a good new city manager starting Monday. Roanoke Rapids has a lot of positive things going for it.”

He said as the state and national economy begins to turn, so will the city’s.

Beale said the city appreciated Connet’s work. “You guided us through some tough times. You gave us guidance while we were trying to deal with a new manager.”

Mayor D.N. Beale quietly explained the impression Dylan Moore cast on him. The Moore family quietly accepted a proclamation making Sept. 18 Dylan Moore Day.

“I never had the opportunity to meet Dylan,” Beale said tonight during city council’s meeting. “I did attend the funeral. As people stood up and spoke, if you hadn’t ever met him, you realized what type of little fellow he was.”

The mayor said there wasn’t a better place to hold Dylan’s funeral than the Roanoke Rapids Theatre. “You could picture him standing there with his cowboy hat and guitar ... He was definitely a showman.”

After the mayor read the proclamation the audience stood as Dylan’s mother, Betsy said, “We thank everyone for doing this. We thank everyone for the prayers and support. We want to say thank you all.”

The resolution honored Dylan by mentioning his love of country music, The Andy Griffith Show, his dog Corky and his pony Silver.

Three years after his birth Dylan was diagnosed on Sept. 22, 2004, with Fanconi Anemia, a rare blood disorder. “Dylan was an inspiration to everyone that knew him as he braved the many tests and treatments over the last five years,” said the proclamation. “The city of Roanoke Rapids and citizens of the entire Roanoke Valley were saddened to learn of Dylan’s passing on Sunday, July 26, 2009.”

Said the document: “Dylan will be missed by all whose lives he touched during his short seven years of life and The Roanoke Rapids City Council would like to pay tribute to Dylan for his bravery and inspiration, his strong spirit and for teaching all of us some very valuable lessons about life.”

Anthony Finney, who led a movement on the social networking website Facebook to have a day set aside for the youngster said following the meeting he was pleased by council’s unanimous approval. “I chose to do something for him because of what he did for me,” said Finney, who has said in previous interviews with The Spin the youngster inspired him to keep his head up.

“We’re truly honored,” Dylan’s mother said following the meeting, adding she was moved by Finney’s effort to have the day in her son’s honor, a movement which as of tonight had 1,068 members. “We really appreciate Mr. Finney doing that. We’re glad Dylan was able to change his life.”

Police have arrested a Roanoke Rapids man for allegedly trafficking Xanax, city police Chief Jeff Hinton said this morning.

The arrest stems from an investigation at 84 Madison St. where a marijuana plant was found in plain view in a tomato garden.

After seizing the plant, officers obtained consent to search the house and found 165 Xanax pills, Hinton said. They also found 135 grams of marijuana and paraphernalia.

Police charged Kenny Brooks with trafficking schedule IV — the Xanax — possession of a controlled substance without prescription label present, possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana, felony possession of schedule VI, maintaining a dwelling to keep a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bond amount was not immediately available.