Traffic Shift This Week on Statesville Road

Motorists will begin using the first of two new roundabouts at the intersection of Catawba Avenue and Statesville Road this week as work continues on a $14.6 million N.C. Department of Transportation improvement project.

NCDOT said contract crews plan to shift traffic after 9 p.m. Thursday, July 23, to the roundabout on Statesville Road south of Catawba Avenue. The second roundabout, north of the intersection, remains under construction and is expected to open later this fall.

The project is designed to improve traffic flow and safety at one of Cornelius’ busiest intersections, where congestion is common because of the nearby Interstate 77 interchange. Traffic frequently backs up to the Catawba Avenue interchange during peak travel periods.

Once the project is complete, drivers will no longer make traditional left turns through the intersection. Instead, motorists wishing to turn left will turn right and use one of the roundabouts to make a U-turn before continuing through the intersection.

According to NCDOT, the roundabout design is expected to improve safety while reducing congestion and travel delays for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

The project, being constructed by Caton Construction Group Inc. of Charlottesville, Virginia, is expected to be completed by winter 2027.