$14M project will relieve bottlenecks on a major Lake Norman road, NCDOT says
A state road contractor will shift traffic beginning Thursday, July 23, as part of a $14.6 million project to relieve chronic backups on Catawba Avenue near Interstate 77 exit 28 in Cornelius.
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Caton Construction Group Inc. of Charlottesville, Va., will direct drivers to one of two roundabouts at Catawba Avenue and U.S. 21 (Statesville Road) after 9 p.m. Thursday, according to a North Carolina Department of Transportation news release Friday.
Drivers will be directed into the roundabout on U.S. 21 south of Catawba Avenue.
A second roundabout, north of the intersection, is under construction and should open later in the fall, officials said.
“The roundabouts are being built in an area that experiences routine congestion and high traffic volume,” according to the news release. “With Interstate 77 located just west of the intersection, traffic frequently backs up to the Catawba Avenue interchange, compounding travel conditions.”
The department approved the contract in 2023.
The project will eliminate left turns, according to NCDOT, which gave this example:
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Drivers intending to turn left from Catawba Avenue onto U.S. 21 would turn right and make a U-turn in one of the roundabouts, and then head straight on Catawba Avenue.
“The benefits are improved safety and a less-congested ride through the area,” according to the news release.
The project should finish by winter 2027, officials said.
NCDOT released a video showing how roundabouts work and how officials say they improve driver, pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
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