Exit 27 layout from 2015
Dec. 2. By Dave Vieser. At the Cornelius Town Board meeting tonight, commissioners will be exploring a federal grant which could be used to jumpstart planning for an Exit 27 on I-77.
Local government and business officials have been advocating a new exit for many years near the Westmoreland Road crossover, to relieve traffic in Cornelius. While the NCDOT has not yet identified the project for funds, a RAISE federal planning grant might provide a pathway to get the project going.
The possibility of using federal funds for an Exit 27 planning project were raised by The Ferguson Group of Mooresville, which prepared a federal legislative agenda for the town board’s consideration at the Dec. 2 meeting.
Quotable
“Based on a meeting with the US Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program staff, we believe a RAISE Planning Grant is currently the best fit for the project,” the Ferguson report says.
Details
Planning grants can be used to fund pre-construction activities, such as planning, preparation, or design, although right of way acquisition or construction are not eligible. The Town could request up to $25 million in planning funds and could partner with NCDOT and Atrium on the project.
The meeting will begin at 6 pm in Town Hall on Catawba Avenue. It will also be streamed via the town web site: www.cornelius.org.The town board will also vote on the 2025 meeting schedule.
