By Josh Bergeron 

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Governor-elect Roy Cooper could cut Rowan County’s direct line to the Department of Transportation when he takes office in 2017.

Local businessman Jake Alexander will see his four-year term on the NC Board of Transportation expire at the start of 2017. Alexander represents NC DOT Division 9, which includes Rowan, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth and Stokes counties.

When Alexander’s term expires, Cooper will make an appointment to fill the empty slot. Alexander said he doesn’t expect to be reappointed and probably wouldn’t want to serve another term regardless of the governor.

“You never know what you would do unless confronted with the question, but I would have been unlikely to ask for another term,” he said. “It’s been a great four years.”

Gov. Pat McCrory in 2013 appointed Alexander to the board, which makes decisions about spending on transportation projects. When appointed, Alexander filled a spot held by Winston-Salem resident Ralph Womble.

Alexander said the adoption of a new formula to decide which projects get funded ranks as the most important item during his time on the NC Board of Transportation.

“Frankly, it was historic because there are road building projects going on now that had been ignored for whatever reason,” Alexander said.

Under the new formula, the start date for the widening of I-85 moved up seven years, Alexander said. The completion date was 2025 and now is scheduled to end in 2018, he said. An interstate exit at Old Beatty Ford Road also went from being a long-desired project without a definite completion date to being lumped into the I-85 widening project.

Alexander said he has enjoyed his return to the NC Department of Transportation as a board member. He worked as deputy secretary of the department under former Gov. Jim Martin. From small projects like sidewalk extensions to historic ones like the I-85 widening, Alexander said there’s been progress in completing important transportation projects during his four years.

Small projects such as connecting Hood Theological Seminary to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College rank as some of his favorites, Alexander said.

Alexander said he’s not sure whom Cooper might pick to replace him on the Board of Transportation. Cooper’s pick to fill the spot could be a person from any of the Division 9 counties. Womble is a possibility, Alexander said.

The Cooper campaign didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment from the Salisbury Post about upcoming appointments.

Alexander’s departure from the Division 9 spot won’t take him out of transportation decision-making entirely. He currently sits on the North Carolina Railroad Company board of directors. His term on the railroad board expires in 2019. Alexander said he plans to complete his term.

Alexander works as a sales director for Genan Inc., the world’s largest tire recycling company. He also has various real estate investments in Salisbury.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246