Traffic snarls and other transit troubles often top the list of residents’ complaints about growth. Mayor John Woods and his newly inaugurated counterparts from Huntersville, Cornelius and Mooresville this morning announced formation of a task force to work on the problem, with a goal of delivering a regional transportation action plan by April.

Mayor Jill Swain of Huntersville (left) talks to John Woods of Davidson (center) and Jeff Tarte of Cornelius before Friday’s press conference.

Speaking at a rush-hour press conference in the Exit 25 Park & Ride lot off I-77, the mayors promised to study a wide range of issues such as I-77 widening, commuter rail, road and transit funding, connectivity and land-use planning.

“We’re looking for an actionable report that will create some short term solutions, but also define and let us begin working on, with our state representatives, the issues that are longer term in nature,” Mayor Woods said.

Public meetings begin Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. at Cornelius Town Hall and continue every Wednesday through the end of March. Each meeting will include presentations and discussions of a different topic.

REGIONAL ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS

Leaders in the four towns, where the population now totals around 93,000, have increasingly found they must tackle regional problems cooperatively. They’ve signed inter-local agreements on a variety of issues, including economic development and street connections. And Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville are in the midst of join planning for the area east of town off N.C. 73.

But this is the first time the four towns have used a regional task force to tackle a common problem.

Mooresville Mayor Bill Thunberg said the towns’ issues are linked, as Charlotte-bound commuters on I-77 see daily.

“If anybody taps on their brakes down here in Cornelius or Davidson, there’s also a brake tap in Mooresville. So we’re connected in many ways,” Mayor Thunberg said.

Mayor Jill Swain of Huntersville said the problem solving must be handled in a public process. “While we four mayors agree that transportation must improve in our communities, we are also aware that our needs are diverse and believe that open discourse and working together are the first steps toward better solutions,” she said.

KINCAID IS CHAIR

Former Davidson Mayor Randy Kincaid, who retired only this week, will chair the task force, which will also included elected officials and citizen representatives from the four towns. Vice chair will be retired mayor Gary Knox of Cornelius.

Newly elected Commissioner Brian Jenest and resident Lawrence Kimbrough will represent Davidson on the task force.

Representatives from other towns that have been chosen so far will be: Cornelius – Commissioner Jim Bensman and resident Carroll Gray; Mooresville – Commissioner Mitch Abraham; Huntersville – Commissioner Charlie Jeter.

WEDNESDAY MEETINGS

Meetings will be Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. at Cornelius Town Hall. The meeting topics will be:

• Jan. 2 – Air quality
• Jan. 9 – Widening I-77
• Jan. 16 – Buses (commuter and school)
• Jan. 23 – Land use plans
• Jan. 30 – Thoroughfare plans and connectivity
• Feb. 6 – Bicycling, walking, greenways
• Feb. 13 – North Corridor Commuter Rail
• Feb. 20 – Accidents on I-77
• Feb. 27 – Alternative funding discussion
• March 5 – Additional fact finding and discussion of draft report
• March 12 – Discussion of draft report with elected and appointed officials
• March 19 – Task Force discussion of report
• March 26 – Reserved

WANT TO COMMENT?

To comment by email or letter, or arrange to speak at a task force meeting, contact Randy Kincaid at rkincaid@bellsouth.net.