Transportation
It may not be popular, but the DDI is safer
By Dave Vieser. There has been a 58 percent reduction in accidents at the Exit 28 interchange in Cornelius since the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) opened in 2014. Our stats tend to mirror those from other parts of the country where the innovative interchange has been implemented. Cornelius was the first in the state. It’s […]
As complaints pile up, I-77 sub-contractor caused Friday’s gridlock
May 16. By Dave Vieser. Less than a month after loose steel reflectors became a critical safety issue in the I-77 construction zone, it turns out a dump truck being operated by a Cintra sub-contractor caused massive gridlock in Cornelius and on the interstate last Friday May 12. The accident happened around 12:30 am in […]
High impact: “No Second Chances’ came to Hough High
By Dave Vieser. The accident scene near the high school was horrific: A pick-up truck driven by an impaired motorist had just t-boned a small sedan with three Hough HS girls inside. One of the girls was killed instantly, while two others had to be cut out of the damaged car by crews from the Cornelius […]
Town Board pushes for more bus improvements
April 18. By Dave Vieser. At their April 17 meeting, the Cornelius Town Board unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) to reallocate a majority of the funds designated to study options for the Red Line toward improved bus services. The MTC is the governing board for CATS, which provides bus services in […]
The right to make a left won’t go away for a long time
March 24. By Dave Vieser. A final plan is emerging for improvements at the West Catawba Avenue and Torrence Chapel Road/Liverpool Parkway intersection which will eliminate left turns after all, but not for many years. Cornelius Assistant Town Manager Andrew Grant said the new plan worked out with the NCDOT gradually eliminates left turns as […]
Nantz Road: Temporary blinking light next week
Get ready for it: The long-awaited traffic light at Nantz Road and West Catawba will be switched on sometime next week, according to town officials. The light will be operating in the flashing mode for five to 10 days, then steady green and red with yellow in between. “The DOT has promised a minimum of […]
Another new route for Northcross Extension?
March 10. By Dave Vieser. A new route for the extension of Northcross Drive would take traffic farther away from the Stratford Forest subdivision which, right now, is not connected by road to the rest of Cornelius. The extension, which is being planned by the NCDOT, will connect Cornelius and Huntersville just west of I-77. […]
Nantz Road intersection realignment under way
Nine months later than promised, work crews hired by Epcon homes are realigning Nantz Road this week where it intersects with West Catawba Avenue. The delay was primarily caused by the need for utilities to bury their lines in the vicinity of the new intersection. The new alignment will bring Nantz Road traffic into West Catawba […]
New road will connect Cornelius, Huntersville
Feb. 14. By Dave Vieser. A new north-south roadway—known as the Northcross Drive Extension—which will connect Cornelius and Huntersville west of I-77. The NCDOT unveiled preliminary details, including a sketch of the proposed route, Monday during a public information meeting at Lake Norman Baptist Church. Click here to view the map of the proposed route. The route selected […]
NCDOT says accident rate climbed in I-77 work area
By Dave Vieser. If it seems that if I-77 came to a halt more often in the past year because of accidents, you’re right. The number of crashes between Exit 23 and Exit 36 is up 7.8 percent, according to statistics provided by the NCDOT. There were 619 accidents from January-October, 2016, up from 574 […]
