Traffic Congestion and Highway Construction

[KJHburg]

10 minutes ago, Skyybutter said:

Sooo, I live in the Harrisburg/UCity part of Charlotte. 

  Whats happening with the south portion of 485 from say Lawyers rd all the way to 85 at CLT. 

  I honestly never go to that part of town. 

  I have friends in Commonwealth and lived in NoDa years back. 485 and 85 are in great shape so far as amount of lanes, interchanges etc. 

  Will S.Charlotte EVER catch up?

I-485 is being widened from I-77 to Hwy 74.  Basically one extra tolled express lane each direction from 77 to US 74 and one additional general purpose lane in each direction from Rea Rd to Providence Rd.  New exit at Weddington Road.   New flyover ramps for the tolled express lanes at US 521Ballantyne. 

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/i-485-express-lanes/Pages/default.aspx

[kermit]

Quote

World cities turn their streets over to walkers and cyclists

From Berlin to Bogotá there are new footpaths and bike lanes – but not in London

Or in Charlotte...
 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/11/world-cities-turn-their-streets-over-to-walkers-and-cyclists

[KJHburg]

No traffic jams around Concord Mills and this flyover bridge construction is full steam ahead.  Today and the drive through line at Krispy Kreme was 20 plus cars deep.  Good thing I got my doughnuts yesterday. 

[tozmervo]

The next segment of the 74 bypass around Shelby opens tomorrow. Until the remaining segments open it won't help those of us heading beyond Shelby, but it's 5.6 miles closer to avoiding that colossal CF.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-04-13-shelby-bypass-segment-opens.aspx

[JorgiPorgi]

have there been any more developments about that decorative pedestrian/bike bridge connecting uptown to Southend? 

[kermit]

1 minute ago, JorgiPorgi said:

have there been any more developments about that decorative pedestrian/bike bridge connecting uptown to Southend? 

IIRC its now fully funded and in the design phase. I'll bet other folks here know the planned construction start date.

I was at the end of the trail last week and there was no sign of construction starting yet.

[Hushpuppy321]

Devastating News about NCDOT cutting $2B from Future Construction (Bid) Contracts.  Statewide projected new (Highway) projects going from 131 to 38.  

[cowboy_wilhelm]

7 hours ago, Hushpuppy321 said:

Devastating News about NCDOT cutting $2B from Future Construction (Bid) Contracts.  Statewide projected new (Highway) projects going from 131 to 38.  

Link?

[kermit]

10 minutes ago, cowboy_wilhelm said:

Link?

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/04/14/a-rough-storm-to-weather-construction-companies.html

[KJHburg]

From Chicago but since people always say Northerners know how to drive in snow I present this.

 

[nicholas]

52 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

From Chicago but since people always say Northerners know how to drive in snow I present this.

 

"Light snow" in Chicago = "blizzard" in North Carolina

[KJHburg]

great progress on the I-485 express lanes and extra general purpose lane in south Charlotte.  Notice the bridge supports up for the flyovers for the express lanes from US 521 to 485 westbound.  Drive bys today.  last 2 photos between Rea and Providence on I-485 eastbound. 

[CraigslistPapi]

Just rode my bike down the new bike lane on The Plaza. It’s a wonderful experience from a biker’s perspective. The planters separating bikers from drivers are a bit tacky looking though. Are there any other Road Diets like this project planned or under construction currently?

[KJHburg]

Flyover construction at Concord Mills still progressing and not causing any traffic delays with the mall closed or mostly closed.  

 

Edited April 29, 2020 by KJHburg

[Third Strike]

Here are the projects the CRTPO plan to submit for the 2023-2029 STIP:

https://www.crtpo.org/transporation-improvement-program/2022-2031-tip-development#quicktabs-22_31_tip=2
 

Some highlights:

Widen I-485 with HOT lanes from I-85 to I-77 in south Charlotte

Widen I-485 with HOT lanes from US 74 to Albemarle Road

Widen I-77 to six lanes from I-40 to NC 150

Widen South Tryon to six lanes from I-485 to NC 160

Widen NC 16 to six lanes from I-85 to the state line

Widen Albemarle Road to six lanes from Lawyers Road to I-485

Realign NC 160 further south to allow space for the future expansion of the airport 

[kermit]

3 hours ago, Third Strike said:

Here are the projects the CRTPO plan to submit for the 2023-2029 STIP:

.....

Widen South Tryon to six lanes from I-485 to NC 160

Golf clap for the partnership, they could not have found a better way to stunt the growth of the only new TOD fueled,  business district in the state.  I guess Brookside redevelopment and continued office growth is less important than Tega Cay residents getting home in their F-150s in time for dinner.

Greater capacity of the route could have been added MUCH more cheaply by increasing Blue Line frequency.

Edit: see below, I flew off the handle needlessly due to ambiguity in the report's labels.

Edited April 30, 2020 by kermit

[davidclt]

1 hour ago, Third Strike said:

Here are the projects the CRTPO plan to submit for the 2023-2029 STIP:

https://www.crtpo.org/transporation-improvement-program/2022-2031-tip-development#quicktabs-22_31_tip=2
 

Some highlights:

Widen South Tryon to six lanes from I-485 to NC 160

Is it the red portion of South Tryon or the blue portion they plan to widen? Both are from I-485 to NC 160.

[Seaboard Fellow]

3 hours ago, Third Strike said:

Here are the projects the CRTPO plan to submit for the 2023-2029 STIP:

https://www.crtpo.org/transporation-improvement-program/2022-2031-tip-development#quicktabs-22_31_tip=2
 

Some highlights:

Widen I-485 with HOT lanes from I-85 to I-77 in south Charlotte

Widen I-485 with HOT lanes from US 74 to Albemarle Road

Widen I-77 to six lanes from I-40 to NC 150

Widen South Tryon to six lanes from I-485 to NC 160

Widen NC 16 to six lanes from I-85 to the state line

Widen Albemarle Road to six lanes from Lawyers Road to I-485

Realign NC 160 further south to allow space for the future expansion of the airport 

I’m having a hard time picturing the NC 16 project. Is that supposed to be I-485 instead?

[EllAyyDub]

Its widening westward from 85 to the county line.  And its the red bit from the map above.  All can be found on this map here: https://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=71b2d6023e4c4f10b64ff6c8da4d32fa&extent=-82.4681,34.5797,-78.4883,36.2384

[Third Strike]

2 hours ago, davidclt said:

Is it the red portion of South Tryon or the blue portion they plan to widen? Both are from I-485 to NC 160.

The southern segment. 

15 minutes ago, Seaboard Fellow said:

I’m having a hard time picturing the NC 16 project. Is that supposed to be I-485 instead?

Sorry, this is for Brookshire Blvd, from the I-85 interchange near Uptown, to the state line in Northeast Mecklenburg. 

 

2 hours ago, kermit said:

Golf clap for the partnership, they could not have found a better way to stunt the growth of the only new TOD fueled,  business district in the state.  I guess Brookside redevelopment and continued office growth is less important than Tega Cay residents getting home in their F-150s in time for dinner.

Greater capacity of the route could have been added MUCH more cheaply by increasing Blue Line frequency.

Edit: see below, hopefully I flew off the handle needlessly due to ambiguity.

Yeah, it’s the southern section. Though honestly, I would rather see a spur off the Blue Line, down South Tryon towards Steele Creek, then expanding any part of South Tryon. 

[CLTranspo]

1 hour ago, Third Strike said:

1 hour ago, Seaboard Fellow said:

I’m having a hard time picturing the NC 16 project. Is that supposed to be I-485 instead?

Sorry, this is for Brookshire Blvd, from the I-85 interchange near Uptown, to the state line in Northeast Mecklenburg. 

You mean county line. NC 16 exits Mecklenburg County to enter Gaston County. 

[Third Strike]

3 hours ago, CLTranspo said:

You mean county line. NC 16 exits Mecklenburg County to enter Gaston County. 

Yeah, the county line. My mistake. 

[KJHburg]

has anyone noticed that people are driving extremely fast these days on the metro Interstates. I was going 15 over and I was passed like I was standing still.  Did I miss an Governors executive order lifting all speed limits?  anyone else notice this?  

[navigator319]

5 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

has anyone noticed that people are driving extremely fast these days on the metro Interstates. I was going 15 over and I was passed like I was standing still.  Did I miss an Governors executive order lifting all speed limits?  anyone else notice this?  

I caught myself going 93 the other day on  485.  That's fast for me.  It's just so easy to drive that fast and not even know it or feel it.  I'm normally in the 75-80 range and yes people pass me at that all the time.

[KJHburg]

Maybe it is just a factor of less traffic however traffic has been building over the last few weeks on the interstates from its low point in mid to late March every week it seems to be getting a little busier and faster.   I do try to keep it under 90!  For I have not seen vehicles this fast since west Texas on the interstates or out further west.