Traffic, Freeways and Road Construction

[dubone]

Cabarrus County is in Charlotte's NCDOT division. They don't care about micrometros and all that, they simply have a line within which all money must be doled out by infighting and pork distro methods.

By the way, that idiotic design was like most projects, the money was only approved for widening between "X" and "Y", and in both the case of 77 and 85 design-build widening, that limit was 485. At least the designers on 85 knew during the project that they had to extend at least one lane beyone 485 to prevent a huge bottle neck. It took a few years, and news articles and new money to get the single lane on 77 extended to Gilead.

Aussie, your opinion of priority only matters as much as mine. You can submit it to NCDOT, and they'll put your comments on a public comments worksheet that they'll look at, smile at, and ignore. If you want to set official priority, you're going to have to weasle your way onto an MPO board of some sort.

[monsoon]

The lake version of the Observer this morning had an article that said the NCDOT was going to undertake the expensive and time consuming task of re-surfacing I-77 from the Mecklenburg county line all the way to exit 45 in Statesville. 80,000 people/day use that section of highway so it is going to be a dramatically disruptive project. Work will run from 2007-2008. I will say this road does need to be repaved again as it has gotten bumpy. What is surprising is they just did this in the last 7-8 years so I don't understand why it needs it again. I thought pavement was supposed to last 20 years.

[Cybear]

The lake version of the Observer this morning had an article that said the NCDOT was going to undertake the expensive and time consuming task of re-surfacing I-77 from the Mecklenburg county line all the way to exit 45 in Statesville. 80,000 people/day use that section of highway so it is going to be a dramatically disruptive project. Work will run from 2007-2008. I will say this road does need to be repaved again as it has gotten bumpy. What is surprising is they just did this in the last 7-8 years so I don't understand why it needs it again. I thought pavement was supposed to last 20 years.

You're joking??!!

That roadway is exponentially less in need of repaving than any number we could quickly name. Is the DOT so inflexible that it cannot adjust or do these decisions represent a theory that to resurface I-77 is somehow prophylactic? There goes the I-77 to I-40 to the Triad shortcut.

PS - Nice avatar upgrade.

[ChiefJoJo]

If you want to be heard, you can go to MUMPO's meetings where they decide on the local priorities--although the stretch of I-85 is in the Cabarrus-Rowan MPO which is outside of MUMPO--but as dubone said, they are in the same funding division of NCDOT. Typically, NCDOT will go along with the priorities of the local MPO if they can. Often, because of the way pots of federal money are prescribed for specific types of roads, DOT can't make those priorities work exactly. I know I-85 is going to be at least 8 lanes from I-485 thru NC73--it could even be 10 (don't know yet).

Eventually, I believe the plan is to make I-85 8 lanes from Charlotte (really west of Charlotte in Gaston Co) to the US52/I85Business/Lexington split. That will create a continous 6-8 lane link all the way to the I-85/40 split near Hillsborough.

Also, as dubone mentioned, NCDOT is looking at how to use GARVEE bonds (the state borrowing against future federal funds) for the region. I know Independence transit/highway project and the 85 project are the two under consideration.

[RiverwoodCLT]

Thanks Chief, you make things sound a little better.

[nyxmike]

Carolina Place Mall may get its own exit (eastbound only) off I-485...

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/15317152.htm

[AuLukey]

Carolina Place Mall may get its own exit (eastbound only) off I-485...

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/15317152.htm

This is an interesting concept for our area that I have seen work in other cities. Having a ramp will get customers in, but sadly not out, faster. Whether this boosts traffic for the mall and/or helps traffic on 51 is difficult to determine. It should help both but probably not enough to weigh out the cost.

It is not needed yet, but with the coming of additional bad planning in Southwestern Concord (aka lots more traffic) it would be interesting to see the cost of a ramp from N-85 to the Concord Mills lot as well. That span would probably only require a quarter mile of concrete at most for such a ramp which could easily tie into the 85-widening project already planned for that area. If they pulled the ramp around the back of the pond that is next to Bass Pro, it wouldn't require a bridge either.

[dubone]

I am strongly opposed to creating a bridge from the northwest side of 51 across to CP. There is already a bridge for actual 485. I don't see why they don't create a simple exit only ramp to Park Road, which actually could help alleviate traffic on 51 altogether, and creates an all-right-turn path to CP Mall.

It would be vastly cheaper, which is probably why it doesn't even occur to NCDOT.

[dubone]

Here is an image of what I'm referring to. It would go on the spare land on the site of the poop factory, with the land entirely owned already by a government agency, the city of Charlotte. This could potentially be traded to county ownership, as the county will benefit more than the city for this.

I was wrong earlier about being able to fit a ramp to make an all right turn solution. However, with the loop ramp, it can be elongated to align with the stretch of land that goes between the Garden Ridge parcel and the Sams/BJs (?) parcel. With Park in this area being significantly less travelled than 51, a four way intersection could favor the 485 to CP Mall movement without much issue. Especially since this would be in addition to the 51 exit that has existed for years. Not only will this split the traffic to the mall, but also better support the furniture stores, the mega-box stores, and provide another route to Park Road.

[Norm2]

You should present that idea to Carolina Place Mall or to some other Government body. Or take it to the observor if that doesnt work. That seems better and more feasible to me than to build a bridge ya know? So much cheaper to not have to build a bridge.

[GamecockEngineer]

What's the deal with the repaving of Park Rd? The road was in pretty good shape and it really seems like a huge waste of funding that could be used for other road projects.

[Mobuchu]

Pretty good shape? That stretch was in horrible shape ever since the south water main project a couple years ago. The pavement was uneven the entire stretch where they half assed paved over the water main. One of the big problems was the manholes, they didn't pave up to the level of some of them, so you cringed every time your suspension hit one. (of course now is looks like they went too high...) Scott Ave was nasty too above Romany, its getting redone as well.

[ChiefJoJo]

Here's an article Rubin did on the interstate lighting issue. The solar powered lights on 277 still have to be approved.

I know what you're going to say b4 you say it (A2 and others)... there just isn't a boatload of money out there for these types of repairs or even new road projects--as you probably have guessed. There isn't enough money to go around in all areas of the state, but especially the urban areas. Ultimately, new revenue streams are going to have to be developed.

At least Charlotte has SOME lights on it's freeways. Durham is getting the first set of freeway lights in the Triangle later this year (on I-85).

[monsoon]

.... There isn't enough money to go around in all areas of the state, but especially the urban areas. Ultimately, new revenue streams are going to have to be developed.......

Why are there are 6 brand new towers with 6 high intensity lights each at exit 23 on I-77? And even worse, why are they turned on 24 hours/day? That would seem to waste huge amounts of electricity which isn't good for an agency that does not have any money for lighting.

[nyxmike]

When southern 485 is widened, does anybody know if they will build the ramp at the Johnston Rd. exit like originally planned?

[dubone]

I don't think they've decided yet. Pretty much they'll get a budget and then see what they can afford at the time. But I think they still plan that fly over.

[dubone]

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/new...c/qa_forum.html

Here is an idea for you A2.

[Mobuchu]

Elaine is A2's secret identity

[dubone]

A2 has a secret identity?

[monsoon]

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