17 replies to this topic

[atownrocks]

Does anyone have any information regarding the Monroe Bypass. I heard that not only the bypass will be built, but a freeway leading from Hwy. 74 in Monroe to I-485.

[DigitalSky]

http://charlotte.biz.../04/focus4.html

There's information about it from the Charlotte Business Journal.

[NcSc74]

What is the Monroe Bypass. I want to know your thoughts on building bypasses and not east-west connectors through the city. Well I know it would be almost impossible to do that because of the massive neighborhoods there but at least finish Indy. East of and south of 277 there is no highway out of the city. Isn't that a detractor to some buisnesses as for as quality of life goes.

[dubone]

NcSc74, on Sep 21 2005, 02:58 PM, said:

What is the Monroe Bypass. I want to know your thoughts on building bypasses and not east-west connectors through the city. Well I know it would be almost impossible to do that because of the massive neighborhoods there but at least finish Indy. East of and south of 277 there is no highway out of the city. Isn't that a detractor to some buisnesses as for as quality of life goes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

US74 through union county is the most mind-numbing, murderrage-inducing, time-consuming stretch of originally-intended-to-be-a-bypass-but-quickly-turned-into-clusterfudge-because-of-excessive-commercial-development highway.  It is WAY worse, in my opinion, than independence boulevard in charlotte.  

The bypass is to create a freeway where previously none was intended, and because Monroe is not that large in city limits, the bypass doesn't go far from the original route, so it should be fine.   Part of this bypass is planned as a toll road, so that should prevent some of the sprawl-effects.

No question Indy needs to be upgraded to an expressway (and go back thru the pages in the freeway thread and the i30 thread in the NC forum on opinions about upgrading it to full interstate freeway), but that is an independent (no pun intended) question from what do with US74 through union county.

[dubone]

http://www.charlotte...ws/13576489.htm

The saga of Monroe Bypass is continuing.  I hope they work out all their routing issues.  It is crazy that they are now ready to start on two sections of it, but can't because of the controversy on a third section.

I'm a little nervous that this could be a sprawl generator, but hopefully the toll will help curb that a bit.

[Jerseyman4]

A Monroe bypass would be such relief and time savings. I would pay the toll to avoid the 100 traffic signals on 74 before, through and after Monroe anyday! Especially by the Monroe mall, that area is very congested just about everytime i pass through there in the daytime.

[DigitalSky]

This bypass is very necessary.  The traffic is horrendous down that way.  I got stuck in it and was like "screw this" and turned around once, it was so bad.  

It is a possiblity it'll be a sprawl generator but I think it'll do more good than harm.

[Miesian Corners]

dubone, on Jan 8 2006, 01:17 PM, said:

http://www.charlotte...ws/13576489.htm

The saga of Monroe Bypass is continuing. I hope they work out all their routing issues. It is crazy that they are now ready to start on two sections of it, but can't because of the controversial on a third section.

I'm a little nervous that this could be a sprawl generator, but hopefully the toll will help curb that a bit.

Too late, sprawl is already the mantra recited by both Union County and the towns within it.  Look no further than Weddington.  However, due to soils, sewer availability and general environmental regs, large sections of western Union along some of the freeway's route near the Meck line are (thankfully) basically undevelopable.  

Indian Trail will have about five miles of the future highway within its borders.  It recently approved a comprehensive plan produced by HNTB and Warren & Associates that will guide development around the three interchanges proposed within the town.

[DigitalSky]

I think Weddington is in a whole different world from Monroe.

[ChiefJoJo]

The section in the article that is under discussion is linked here.  Highlight R-2559 in green and click that project to see a detailed map.  The dashed line on that map is section "A" of the bypass, which must be added to various plans to move forward with the bypass project.

[Jerseyman4]

ChiefJoJo, on Jan 9 2006, 01:24 PM, said:

The dashed line on that map is section "A" of the bypass, which must be added to various plans to move forward with the bypass project.

Unfortunately, it will not be an easy task for NCDOT claiming the right-of-way for this highway mainly due to property values, eminent domain and NIMBYism. Lets hope im wrong but this is what i will anticipate for this proposed highway, tollroad or no tollroad.

[dubone]

There is quite a bit of info out on the alternatives for the Monroe Bypass on MUMPO's website:
http://www.mumpo.org/Monroe_Bypass.htm

There is a public meeting on Thursday to discuss it.

[DigitalSky]

WSOC is reporting tonight that now talks on the Monroe Bypass will be postponed til september and they are saying probably "Section A" of the Bypass may be done away with, and that the bypass may be connected with the Toll Road that would connect to I-485.

[ChiefJoJo]

The story is evolving...

Info here:
Observer article
WSOC video story

[Cybear]

ChiefJoJo, on Jul 20 2006, 02:07 PM, said:

The story is evolving...

Info here:
Observer article
WSOC video story

Looks like everyone, excepting the Hamilton Park residents, who could have been expected to have done a bit more due diligence before sinking money into homes on a possible thoroughfare, will lose if the latest news is true.

[orulz]

Cybear, on Jul 20 2006, 09:16 PM, said:

Looks like everyone, excepting the Hamilton Park residents, who could have been expected to have done a bit more due diligence before sinking money into homes on a possible thoroughfare, will lose if the latest news is true.

In this case, according to the articles, I wouldn't put the fault on the people who bought homes at Hamilton Ridge. The subdivision would not have been allowed to proceed had the state not said they were going to abandon the western portion of the studied alignment, segment A.

But now it's clear that they can't drop that segment or realign it without going through another costly, lengthy environmental study. So the state has changed their minds, and the alignment is back from the dead, because it's the only one for which the environmental impacts have been sufficiently studied. So now they propose to only build segments B and C, leaving A ominously on the map through these peoples' homes, but with the promise that "We're not actually going to build it, guys.."

[Neo]

FWIW, a judge has ruled against the environmental group attempting to block the construction of the Monroe bypass. According to NCDOT, dirt should move sometime in 2012:

http://www.bizjourna...siness Journal)

[RiverwoodCLT]

It is abot time.  I would like to see US74  finish,  to go along with the bypass.