Exit 31 now open; ‘summit’ to offer update on commuter rail
TRANSPORTATION |
East Rocky River Road will be closed for several months at Davidson-Concord Road when construction of a new roundabout begins Aug. 10 at the busy intersection. State and town officials are suggesting a detour: Grey Road to Shearers Road.
Also in this column, Exit 31 now open, and news about a regional transit summit next week in Huntersville.
Map shows detour along Grey Road and Shearers Road. East Rocky River will be closed at Davidson Concord Road. Click to download a PDF.
The $600,000 project will help ease problems at one of the town’s most dangerous intersections. The state maintains the roads and, as we reported in March, is building the roundabout with federal stimulus funding. Town officials said land to make way for the roundabout was donated by the Barger family.
North Carolina Division 10, which includes Mecklenburg County, is due to receive a total of $5.5 million in stimulus funds. In an announcement Tuesday, the town noted that the $600,000 is not part of the town budget and could not be spent on other local projects.
“When completed, the roundabout will provide safer driving routes and reduce speed in the intersection. Roundabouts offer significant safety, appearance, and environmental advantages over stop-light intersections,” the town announcement said. (See our related July 22 item, “Outside reading: Roundabouts a tough sell, but work”)
Engineering drawing for the new roundabout.
The town issued a map Tuesday (above) suggesting that drivers use Grey Road as a detour. The detour would be for both eastbound and westbound drivers. It’s not clear how the road closure might affect the River Run neighborhood, which lies between Davidson-Concord and East Rocky River roads. The town is not recommending River Run as an alternate route.
Jeff D’Arruda is the North Carolina Department of Transportation engineer on the project. He can be reached at 704-455-2958. Doug Wright, Davidson’s project and public works director, can be reached at 704-940-9625.
New exit now open off I-77. (David Boraks photo)
NOW OPEN: EXIT 31
Here’s a bit of a local road milestone: After more than 2 years of work, Exit 31 has opened off I-77 at Langtree Road, a mile north of Davidson.
The $21.4 million construction project will provide access to a major new development on Langtree Road called Langtree at the Lake. That massive project is expected to cost at least $880 million, and include homes, 300,000 square feet of Class A office space, shops, restaurants and boutiques.
It’s also near the corporate headquarters of Lowe’s Co., which is expanding its massive campus off N.C. 115 in Mount Mourne. The new exit eventually will provide employees with a second route onto the corporate campus, in addition to Exit 33.
The road had been expected to open earlier, but state officials said bad weather led to the delay.
TRANSIT SUMMIT: WHERE’S COMMUTER RAIL?
Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain has invited area transportation officials to a “citizens’ summit on transit” Thursday, Aug. 13, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Central Piedmont Community College North Campus auditorium, in Huntersville.
Mayor Swain, who is up for re-election, said the event will offer an update on CATS North Commuter Rail Line project, which for the moment has taken a back seat in regional transportation planning to CATS’ Lynx Blue Line northeast extension. (Last week, CATS announced that the U.S. Senate had approved $24 million in funding to continue engineering on the $1 billion-plus light rail line.)
Mayor Swain has invited CATS’ interim CEO John Muth and CATS Project Manager Brian Nadolny to report on the rail line’s status and to answer questions. Huntersville Planning Director Jack Simoneau also will be there, to discuss development plans along the rail line.
“This will be an opportunity for citizens to learn more about the current transit plans and find out first hand the efforts that have been made to date,” Mayor Swain said. “My hope in facilitating this community event is to allow citizens to better comprehend some of the planning currently being considered.”
RELATED COVERAGE
July 29, 2009, “Summer roadwork to repair town’s worst streets.”
July 22, 2009, “Outside reading: Roundabouts a tough sell, but work”
March 20, 2009, “Rocky River/Davidson-Concord roundabout is a go.”
See all coverage of public works related news on DavidsonNews.net at category “Public Works.” CLICK HERE>
Here’s a minor update on the East Rocky River Road closure:
Town officials said this morning (8/6/09) they have received a few inquiries from residents concerned about traffic during the roundabout construction.
Town Communications Director Sara-Lynne Levine delivered messages via the town’s Connect-CTY phone system this morning alerting residents about the planned roundabout construction and road closing.
Residents in the neighborhoods off Davidson-Concord and East Rocky River roads heard a message that noted some traffic on local streets may increase. “You may notice an increase in emergency vehicles traveling to emergency calls and police vehicles monitoring traffic,” she said.
Police Chief Jeanne Miller said police plan daily patrols on Davidson-Concord Road and in nearby neighborhoods during the work. “We are going to be dedicating patrols out there every day to make sure people respect the speed limit, whatever it is,” she said. “We are cognizant of the fact that it could change some traffic patterns.”
Click the map in our story above to see the town’s detour map. Thursday’s message also invites residents to call town hall for more information, 704-892-7591.