North Carolina's top road engineer has traveled a long road from Laurinburg to Raleigh, but he has take his Scotland County roots with him around the state.

"I am very appreciative of what we have," John Nance said, a lesson he learned from living in Scotland County.

Working on transportation needs in major metropolitan areas in North Carolina, the chief engineer of operations for the North Carolina Department of Transportation knows firsthand that cities with expansive transit systems don't have the same issues as a rural county.

He said he also takes another bit of wisdom from Laurinburg around the state with him – always treat others as you would have them treat you.

Nance was the guest of his dad, Jim Nance, at the Laurinburg Rotary Club meeting and talked about DOT issues from local road projects and issues with potholes to the rock slide that has left a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 40 closed in the western portion of the state.

Nance talked some about the proposed widening of U.S. 401 from Raeford to Laurinburg, a project he does not believe would be difficult once started.

"It's not going to be a major challenge," Nance said, as rural settings have fewer obstructions to prevent a highway from being constructed.

Tests from recent work shows good soil for roadways along the stretch of road and there are no mountains or rivers that would create any great obstacle for contractors.

Widening the road between Raeford and Wagram and between Wagram and Laurinburg presents no real issue, he said. The road can not be widened in Wagram, but the likely solution is for the current stretch of 401 through the town of 600 to become a bypass for the highway.

Getting the road built may not be a challenge, but getting the project approved and funded may be a taller task.

When someone asked if the project was possible, Nance told rotarians that "there is always a chance," to a round of laughter.

"I think it is going to be an uphill battle right now," he said.

The engineer explained that there are several issues that are looked at when DOT appropriates funds for road construction, including congestion, number of accidents and economic development potential.

With the population of Scotland County and the road usage being so far below that of roads in more developed areas, like Wake and Mecklenburg County, it is hard to argue that the need is greater here than in other parts of the state.

The project is not an impossibility, though.

He said that towns that could benefit from the widening of the road can work together with surrounding communities to lobby for the proposed improvements.

The best voice for the project, Nance said, would be the regional planning organization.

Scotland County's regional planning organization is the Lumber River Council of Governments.

DOT Board Member David Burns can also be a powerful advocate for any project, according to Nance.

The engineer also addressed concerns about recurring potholes on state-maintained roads.

The issue with the patches is that the state can not manufacture hot asphalt and uses simple patches prone to seepage, he said.

"What we are putting there is temporary."

The engineer explained that, when it rains, water will often seep under the patch. As temperatures drop, the water expands and dislodges the patchwork.

The weather over the past few months, with lots of rain and temperature fluctuations, is the worse possible conditions for these road patches.