Northeast Corridor Transportation Update Presented by: Stuart Basham Division 10 Planning Engineer North Carolina Department of Transportation October 2, 2014
Today s presentation includes: I-485 Outer Loop Completion Piedmont Improvement Program/Double Track Project Grier Road Grade Separation Sugar Creek Grade Separation Graham Street Extension Bridges on U.S. 29 over Mallard Creek Intersection Improvements ~ N.C. 49/Cameron Boulevard UNC Charlotte Leftover at Alumni Way
Street Closures Related to Rail & BLE Construction Grier Road grade separation North Tryon Street bridge replacement over Mallard Creek Eastway Drive bridge closure Sugar Creek Road closure 36 th Street closure Craighead Road permanent closure Eastern Circumferential grade separation Newell Hickory Grove Rd permanent closure Roadway Projects (CDOT & NCDOT) I-485 outer loop I-85 / I-485 interchange Graham Street extension Orr Road extension* City Boulevard extension Rocky River Road West Back Creek Church Road University Pointe Boulevard extension (I-85 South Bridge)* I-85 North Bridge* McCullough Drive streetscape/extension* JW Clay Boulevard streetscape*
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I-485 Outer Loop ~ Mecklenburg County When complete, the 67-mile loop will connect to I-85 and I-77 from the north and south
I-485/Charlotte Outer Loop Completion
Adding 12 miles of second track Charlotte to Harrisburg Project improvements include: Realigning railroad curves north of Rocky River Road in Concord to Orr Road in Charlotte Improves travel time Upgrading crossings Back Creek Church, McLean and Orr Roads Improves safety Double Track Project (P-5208ACG) Project completion scheduled for Spring 2017
Grier Road Grade Separation at Old Concord Road Construct bridge on Grier Road over NCRR Raise Old Concord Road to meet the new Grier Road bridge Close at-grade NCRR track crossing at Newell-Hickory Grove Road Improve Orr Road, Grierview Lane, Branch Hill Circle, Lauren Village Drive and Farmfield Lane Grier Road Grade Separation (P-5208H) Project completion scheduled for December 2015
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Sugar Creek Road Grade Separation New structure will carry Sugar Creek Road over existing and future railroad tracks Blue Line Extension will also travel under the new grade separation
Approximately three miles between Sugar Creek Road and WT Harris Boulevard, some on new location Four-lane divided roadway, curb/gutter, bike lanes, raised concrete medians, concrete turnouts for CATS buses Scheduled completion April 30, 2017 Graham Street Extension
Bridge Replacements ~ U.S. 29 south of Mallard Creek Church Road
Intersection Improvements ~ N.C. 49 at Cameron Boulevard 13
UNC Charlotte Left-over at Alumni Way
Charlotte Area Transit System LYNX Blue Line Extension
LYNX Blue Line Extension Project Overview 9.3 miles, 11 stations 4 park and ride facilities Approximately 3,100 parking spaces Accommodates 3-car trains 25,000+ daily riders Improvements to North Tryon St. Connects UNC Charlotte campuses 22 minute commute from Uptown to UNC Charlotte Initial peak period service 7.5 minute frequency Connecting bus services Revenue service in 2017
What s happening out there? Private utility relocation Retaining walls Widening the roadway Temporary bridge over Toby Creek Access road into UNC Charlotte campus Temporary sidewalk built in front of CMC University Temporary sidewalk near Institute Circle
W. T. Harris Boulevard Bridge University Place Station Hospital
Charlotte Research Institute UNC Charlotte entrance BLE travels under North Tryon to access campus Northbound traffic shifts to southbound side of North Tryon during tunnel construction
Maintaining Access Temporary signage Detour signs Temporary driveway access Temporary asphalt sidewalks Temporary pedestrian lane
Rocky River Road West Improvements ¾-mile streetscape along Rocky River Road West from North Tryon Street to Batavia Lane Provides connection for several neighborhoods to access the LYNX BLE stations 2-lane section with bike lanes, planting strip and sidewalk
Northeast Corridor Bridges over I-85 New Bridges over I-85: 1. South: University Pointe Blvd. Extension, from Ikea Blvd. to IBM Dr. 2 2. North: From Research Dr. to J.W. Clay Blvd. 1 22
Southern Bridge: IBM Drive to Ikea Blvd. Partially funded in 2008 bond (design and real estate acquisition) Construction funding proposed in 2014 bond o Start construction: Summer 2015 o Open to traffic: Spring 2017 Includes offsite work on W. T. Harris Blvd. in University Research Park as well Approximately $15,000,000 total
Photo circa 2010 Southern Bridge: IBM Drive to Ikea Blvd. New Bridge Completed View from Martin Middle School
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