NCDOT completing land acquisition for W. Catawba widening

By Dave Vieser – There has been some progress on the widening of 2.7 miles of West Catawba Avenue from Jetton Road to Sam Furr Road.

“We expect right-of-way to be completed any day now,” Deputy Mayor Wayne Herron said.

NCDOT right-of-way acquisition has been a lengthy process and involves acquiring property adjacent to Catawba Avenue to permit widening the road from two lanes to four. The process began in 2019 and has involved engineers, surveyors, attorneys and property owners.

“With property acquisition done, I would anticipate that utility relocation will begin soon thereafter,” Herron said.

There are a large number of utilities with equipment and service lines along the West Catawba Avenue right-of-way. Pipes and lines used by Charlotte Water, Piedmont Natural Gas, AT&T and Spectrum, among others, will also need to be relocated, a lengthy process.

The electric lines visible along the highway must be relocated to accommodate a wider road. Officials were hopeful at one time that the lines could be buried underground, as they were between Jetton Road and Interstate 77 when that section was widened. However, placing them underground proved to be prohibitively expensive.

So while the road will remain open with two lanes of traffic, motorists and passersby will soon begin to notice work along the sides of the busy roadway.

When will major road construction begin?

“NCDOT indicates to me that they will let the construction (go to) contract in December 2027,” Herron said.

The widening is expected to take a minimum of three years, at a total cost of $34.6 million. A majority of the project costs will be covered by the state.