{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://butterfield.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/us-dot-approves-future-interstate-designation-of-us-highway-264", "US DOT Approves Future Interstate Designation of U.S. Highway 264", "2016-11-21", "2016", "2016-11", "Democrat", "House", "NC", "G. Butterfield", "B001251", "butterfield.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced its final approval of the state\u2019s application to designate U.S. Highway 264 between Zebulon and Greenville, North Carolina as Future Interstate 587.\u00a0 Congressmen G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) and Walter B. Jones (NC-03) applauded the approval of North Carolina Department of Transportation\u2019s (NCDOT) application to transform the highway into an interstate.\n\u201cI am thrilled that the transformation of Highway 264 into a Future Interstate will officially become a reality,\u201d said Rep. Butterfield.\u00a0 \u201cThis approval will make the Future Interstate Greenville\u2019s first connection to a major interstate highway.\u00a0 I thank Congressman Jones for his strong support in this effort to better connect eastern North Carolina with neighboring regions along Interstate 95 and the Eastern Seaboard.\u201d\n\u201cI introduced The Eastern North Carolina Gateway Act to underline the need for high-quality infrastructure in our region,\u201d said Congressman Jones. \u201cI am pleased that the NC Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration agree that Future Interstate 587 is a crucial investment in the future of the Eastern North Carolina regional economy. This milestone would not have been possible without the support of transportation advocates throughout our state, including my colleagues Congressman G.K. Butterfield and Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis.\u201d\nThis announcement follows Butterfield and Jones\u2019 letter to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx calling for the FHWA to approve NCDOT\u2019s request to designate portions of U.S. Highway 264 as a Future Interstate.\nThe request made by the state closely follows the Eastern North Carolina Gateway Act of 2016, which was introduced in the House of Representatives by Butterfield and Jones as H.R. 6105 and in the Senate by Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis as S. 3378.\u00a0 The bill would help better connect Eastern North Carolina with Interstate 95 and the entire Eastern Seaboard.\nGreenville is the 10th largest city in North Carolina, and the largest city in North Carolina without an interstate highway.\u00a0 The approval of NCDOT\u2019s application would designate the U.S. Highway 264/64 split from Zebulon to Greenville as a High Priority Corridor and Future Interstate.\u00a0 Many portions of U.S. Highway 264 are already built to interstate standards.\u00a0 NCDOT has committed to completing the Future Interstate within 25 years.\nThe full text of DOT\u2019s letter of approval can be viewed here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://butterfield.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/us-dot-approves-future-interstate-designation-of-us-highway-264"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 3.0923490412533283, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}