Engineering drawing for the proposed Exit 27 in Cornelius. (SOURCE: Cornelius Bromont)

I-77 widening and other proposed road projects around the half-billion-dollar Augustalee mixed-use development in Cornelius passed an important hurdle Wednesday when the Mecklenburg-Union Metropolitan Planning Organization (MUMPO) voted to add them to regional transportation plans.

The $90 million in roadwork includes adding a third lane to both northbound and southbound I-77 from Exit 23 to Exit 28, constructing a new Exit 27 at Westmoreland Road, widening Westmoreland Road and Statesville Road/U.S. 21, extending Bailey Road west and building a new bridge over I-77, and connecting Northcross Drive from Jim Cooke Road to Westmoreland Road.

The road projects were a condition of the Cornelius Town Board’s approval of the project last year. Augustalee’s developers have been working closely with Cornelius officials to win approval for the projects.

MUMPO is a regional planning organization that includes officials from Charlotte and surrounding governments, voted to add the projects for the Augustalee development to its thoroughfare plan as well as their Metrolina Transportation Improvement Plan (MTIP).

Augustalee will have shops and at least one large retailer, offices, luxury condos and two hotels on more than 100 acres on Statesvlle Road, at I-77 and Westmoreland Road.  The developer has said he hopes to open the first retail shops in 2012. [Some officials in nearby towns are not so keen on the road projects or the Augustalee development itself. Huntersville Transportation Planner Bill Coxe told Huntersville commissioners last week he thinks another highway exit is a bad idea,  the Charlotte Observer reported Sunday.]

“This is an exciting and critical milestone for Augustalee’s approval process,” Josh Rector, senior vice president of Cornelius Bromont LLC, Augustalee’s developer, said in a press release Wednesday night.

“In addition to the major transportation improvements, it’s also a very positive step for the economic development of the region,” Mr. Rector said. “We expect to create over 4,600 permanent new jobs once the project is built, over 1,000 construction jobs, plus over 100 professional and design jobs immediately. We believe this decision is critical to getting the local and regional economy moving in the right direction now.”

The road projects still need additional approvals. MUMPO still must complete a Long Range Transportation Plan by next spring. And the developer must complete further environmental and technical studies, including a federal Interchange Justification Report for the new Exit 27.

Final approval would come after MUMPO completes that long range plan.

Mr. Rector said Wednesday’s approval also allows Cornelius Bromont to being seeking financing for the roadwork. The developer plans to pay for the work up front, and will seek reimbursement through increased property taxes Augustalee generates.

RELATED COVERAGE AND LINKS

Augustalee site has a map of the six transportation projects (PDF)

April 24, 2009, “Committee sends Cornelius Road projects to vote.”

For more about the Augustalee project, see our recent coverage of the public workshop held in Cornelius about the improvements. (April 10, 2009, “Roadwork for Cornelius project faces key vote April 29.”)