Town weighs options for quick road fixes

By Dave Vieser – The mayor and town board are working to identify areas where improvements could relieve traffic flow, regardless of the backlog of road projects within the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

“What we keep hearing from the DOT is that traffic flow will improve in the fall when the twin circles on Highway 21 are completed,” Mayor Denis Bilodeau said at a January town board meeting. “Well, we cannot wait until fall.”

During a recent town meeting, elected officials discussed five intersections in Cornelius where they believe congestion could be relieved without waiting for new NCDOT projects, even if it means spending town capital funds.

Diverging Diamond Interchange

Many motorists using the diverging diamond interchange are unfamiliar with how it works, which hinders efforts to keep intersections clear of traffic. The problem is exacerbated by the interchange’s narrow size compared with other DDIs.

The town has asked NCDOT to erect “Don’t Block the Box” signs to emphasize the need to keep lanes clear. The signs have proven effective on North Main Street/Highway 115 in Davidson.

“Our DDI is very fragile, and it doesn’t take much to create significant congestion,” Deputy Town Manager Wayne Herron said. “Every little bit will help.”

The town is also requesting that overhead signage for eastbound DDI traffic be installed ahead of the roundabouts’ completion, along with pavement markings for both east- and westbound traffic. Signs for westbound traffic would be installed after the dual roundabouts are completed.

Catawba Avenue and Highway 21 (all directions)

With construction underway on the dual roundabouts, moving traffic through this intersection has become a major challenge.

Prior to construction, Public Works Director Tyler Beardsley said signal detectors managed traffic to a satisfactory degree.

“However, once construction moved into full stage, the detectors couldn’t handle the flow, so the DOT disconnected the detectors and retimed the signals,” he said.

The result has been long delays for Catawba Avenue traffic, both eastbound and westbound, as well as northbound traffic on Highway 21.

In an update at the Jan. 20 board meeting, Beardsley said meetings with the NCDOT had resulted in improvements to the signal timing but acknowledged that backups had not been entirely alleviated.

Westmoreland Road and West Catawba Avenue

The board identified this intersection as a potential problem area, but surveys and observations by Cornelius police and the town’s public works department suggested otherwise.

“We’ve monitored this signal closely over the past month and don’t see any major issues with how it’s operating, aside from heavier-than-usual holiday traffic,” Beardsley said.

Town officials said the extended right-turn lane on Westmoreland Road, which is partially constructed, will not be completed until developers begin work on the Alexander Farms commercial development.

Catawba Avenue and Highway 21 (Westbound)

As Catawba Avenue approaches the traffic signal before the DDI, one westbound lane expands into two. Town officials want to convert the existing left-turn-only lane into two travel lanes.

Left turns would still be permitted, but officials believe the change would reduce traffic backups.

“As it is now, westbound traffic really backs up, sometimes as far as the library,” Mayor Pro Tem Michael Osborne said. “A second travel lane should help move things along.”

Highway 21 and Westmoreland Road

The traffic signal at Highway 21 and Westmoreland Road was recently rebuilt as part of the Atrium Health hospital project, which has improved the movement of crosstown traffic.

However, town officials believe further extending the northbound Highway 21 left-turn lane, which serves vehicles turning onto Westmoreland Road, would also help reduce congestion.

Although the lane was lengthened years ago, northbound traffic is still frequently delayed behind left-turning vehicles, particularly when traffic backs up on Interstate 77 north and motorists divert to surface roads.

Additional concerns

While not among the initial top five concerns, school-related traffic traveling west on Bailey Road and backups on the northbound I-77 off-ramp are also significant issues.

The town is urging the N.C. Department of Transportation to expedite a study of traffic conditions on Bailey Road. One potential solution would reroute school buses to alternate roads instead of having them exit schools by heading west over the railroad crossing.

The town also asked the state to review traffic stacking on the I-77 off-ramp. Motorists trying to turn eastbound are currently stuck behind drivers turning westbound, and Herron said the state will consider adding the issue as a potential project.

What’s next?

The town held meetings with NCDOT in late January to present the issues. Herron said the state was receptive to all the requests and promised a response by mid-to-late February.