Traffic Congestion and Highway Construction

[rancenc]

Here is the DOT visual of the widening and improvement of Highway 150 from Mooresville to the Denver area

 

Here is another visual of the Rea Road widening project in South Charlotte towards Union County

 

[go_vertical]

2 hours ago, jednc said:

I know this is very anti Urban of me, but I feel the opposite. Growing up in the south in the 70s and 80s, I loved going to cities where I knew 30 miles out that I was entering a big city. While the drive through North Meck was certainly more green and lush, even now I can envision what this new super wide interstate is going to look like and it's going to completely change the approach to Charlotte. I can't wait.

Gotta disagree here mainly because once the green stuff starts getting yanked out it can be a long drawn out monumental task to get it back. Don't get me wrong, I love the built environment. Turning a street corner and seeing a neon sign, walking past an active bistro or sidewalk cafe, looking down a narrow street and noticing a store that you never knew was there are all great things to me, but without full, lush trees all of that is seriously missing something. Trees and greenery do an amazing job at softening those rough edges. I feel the same way driving down a highway surrounded by stark, grey sound barriers. It's depressing. There should always be dense foliage alongside major highways. Nothing else does a better job at masking noise and just generally making living next to that thoroughfare tolerable.

[Cadi40]

One of the main reason People love Charlotte so much is because of the amount of trees.

[jtmonk]

On 2/9/2018 at 7:32 PM, KJHburg said:

I-77 north and the toll lane construction.  In all my years I have never seen so many people working on a highway.    Photos 1/2/3  south of Exit 23 Huntersville  4/5  between exit 25-28 and photo 6 . north of exit 30 Davidson the Lake crossing south of exit 31.  

The past two or three times I have driven down 77 I haven't seen anyone working

[videtur quam contuor]

KJH was being facetious. In his photos there is not a human worker, nor is there a piece of equipment moving.

[KJHburg]

4 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

KJH was being facetious. In his photos there is not a human worker, nor is there a piece of equipment moving.

actually I wasn't. I drove up to Mooresville from I-485 on Friday and there were lots and lots of people working. I guess I did not get any in the photos but no I was not joking LOL.  as I said this was Friday midday. 

[jednc]

4 hours ago, KJHburg said:

actually I wasn't. I drove up to Mooresville from I-485 on Friday and there were lots and lots of people working. I guess I did not get any in the photos but no I was not joking LOL.  as I said this was Friday midday. 

I drive between Cornelius and Mooresville everyday and there are many workers each day; even weekends. The rain has slowed them down a little the past few days though.

[UPNoDa]

With all of the on-line technology implemented for Quick Pass, Sun Pass, e.t.c., what is the reason for this building I captured today on W.T. Harris and 485?   Is this where you actually obtain the physical pass? I don't see the need for such a building.

Ironically, it has a sign on the building that sez "I-77" Mobility Partner!

[Nick2]

That building looks fake. Like it was taken from a poor rendering and brought to life. Guess they couldn't decide between glass, brick, and stucco so they went with all three.

[southslider]

^^Same reason there are still retail banks, tellers, and paper statements

[jednc]

16 hours ago, UPNoDa said:

With all of the on-line technology implemented for Quick Pass, Sun Pass, e.t.c., what is the reason for this building I captured today on W.T. Harris and 485?   Is this where you actually obtain the physical pass? I don't see the need for such a building.

Ironically, it has a sign on the building that sez "I-77" Mobility Partner!

I have assumed it is office space for the entity that is widening I-77 and then will rape drivers along that corridor for the next 50 years who venture into the toll lanes. I hope my bias isn't showing.

[Dale]

I know this has probably been answered ten times over, but are highway ramps going in and out of Uptown being worked on ? The road conditions are third-world-ish.

[Scribe]

1 hour ago, Dale said:

I know this has probably been answered ten times over, but are highway ramps going in and out of Uptown being worked on ?

Yes there are plans, start with the 2020 vision plan. The whole North side of I-277 (from I-77 to 74) is planned to be completely re-done. Even a possibility of a part of it being underground (that is just one option being studied).

[Dale]

1 hour ago, Scribe said:

Yes there are plans, start with the 2020 vision plan. The whole North side of I-277 (from I-77 to 74) is planned to be completely re-done. Even a possibility of a part of it being underground (that is just one option being studied).

Sounds good! The one part of Charlotte that reminds me of the Northeastern cities.

[tozmervo]

6 minutes ago, Dale said:

Sounds good! The one part of Charlotte that reminds me of the Northeastern cities.

Old and beat-up?

[Dale]

34 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

Old and beat-up?

Exactly!

[SgtCampsalot]

^^It's the passerby industrial silos whIle on a raised overpass. I always think of my trips to Manhattan on that stretch.

[Dale]

My pulse quickens when I approach Uptown. Feels like I'm driving into Newark.

Wait.

 

 

[UPNoDa]

^I'm with you Dale, my commute often involves jumping on 277 inner from N. Davidson St and subsequently merging 4 lanes over fast enough to catch Independence South....one needs  a Zanex  just to get thru that short stretch. EXTREMELY nerve wrecking!!

[Cadi40]

I know this is highly unrealistic, But I think the route Providence takes would be great for an interstate or at least highway, It goes through the heart of South Charlotte and is a more convenient for cummuters then 74

[nicholas]

18 hours ago, Cadi40 said:

I know this is highly unrealistic, But I think the route Providence takes would be great for an interstate or at least highway, It goes through the heart of South Charlotte and is a more convenient for cummuters then 74

There are a ton of neighborhoods in that area with immediate access to Providence Rd, so it's a too residential for an expressway.  Also, if we've learned anything from the Independence Blvd experiment, it's that "upgrading" a major artery into an expressway kills the immediate economy, and still doesn't solve traffic issues.

Edited February 17, 2018 by nicholas

[Cadi40]

Well one thing I do hate about Charlotte is the lack of Interstates. We have 77 and 85, If we're lucky you might be able to count 40.  The others are beltways and state highways. Other Cities our size have many more beltways, connectors and interstates. 

[SgtCampsalot]

40 minutes ago, Cadi40 said:

Well one thing I do hate about Charlotte is the lack of Interstates. We have 77 and 85, If we're lucky you might be able to count 40.  The others are beltways and state highways. Other Cities our size have many more beltways, connectors and interstates. 

That's one of the things I love about Charlotte. I feel like every other road in Raleigh (just as an example) is a highway, or road-turned-expressway. It's a mess.

[Cadi40]

1 hour ago, SgtCampsalot said:

That's one of the things I love about Charlotte. I feel like every other road in Raleigh (just as an example) is a highway, or road-turned-expressway. It's a mess.

It's nice unless you live in Union County and counties alike.

[Spartan]

On 12/28/2017 at 5:28 PM, KJHburg said:

NC DOT tweeted this old road sign out that was in Raleigh year unknown

 

So which came first - the NC highway logo or the UNC logo? Just curious.

 

 

On 1/12/2018 at 3:45 PM, cowboy_wilhelm said:

The N. C. Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting in January regarding sections D and E of the proposed Shelby Bypass project in Cleveland County.

Section D extends from west of N.C. 150 to U.S. 74 west of Long Branch Road
Section E extends from U.S. 74 west of Long Branch Road to west of Stony Point Road at U.S. 74 Business in Kings Mountain.

The public meeting will be held Thursday, January 18, 2018 between 4 and 7 p.m. at Elizabeth Baptist Church located at 301 North Post Road in Shelby.

R-2707D Public Meeting Map (1 of 3)
R-2707D Public Meeting Map (2 of 3)
R-2707D Public Meeting Map (3 of 3)
R-2707E Public Meeting Map (1 of 2)
R-2707E Public Meeting Map (2 of 2)
 

 

I just which they would more call this project by it's more accurate name: the Shebly Bypass Bypass.

 

 

17 hours ago, Cadi40 said:

Well one thing I do hate about Charlotte is the lack of Interstates. We have 77 and 85, If we're lucky you might be able to count 40.  The others are beltways and state highways. Other Cities our size have many more beltways, connectors and interstates. 

The lack of major freeways sets us up to have a better chance at recovering from our auto-oriented design to one that is more walkable. America is the only place where people expect to be able to drive quickly to their destination within a city.