Photo by Jason Benavides

March 21. Updated. By Dave Vieser. At tonight’s Town Board Meeting, commissioners will discuss eliminating left turns at the Catawba Avenue and Torrence Chapel Road/Liverpool Parkway intersection.

Background

In May of 2017, the town struck an agreement with NCDOT that these turns would remain after the completion of the triple  roundabout projects planned in the area. They would only be phased out over time as average daily traffic volume increased.

Greater efficiency

The NCDOT is asking the town to take another look. Their reasoning according to Deputy Town Manager Wayne Herron:

“Removing the left turns now would increase efficiency and the intersection’s level of service and the cost would be significantly less now than in the future.”

Costs

Thing is, the town will foot the bill. NCDOT estimates it would cost the town approximately $10,000.

Opposition

When this issue first arose in 2017, there was considerable opposition to removing the left turns. However, over the past four years, it has become clear that the time it takes to handle the left-turning traffic creates additional congestion for Catawba Avenue traffic, particularly eastbound motorists seeking to access I-77 or travel crosstown.

How to watch

The meeting begins at 6 pm in Town Hall on Catawba Avenue. It will also be live streamed on www.cornelius.org. Access the link “watch meetings online.”

UPDATE: Here’s the agenda item

“NCDOT has asked the Town for one last consideration regarding removing the left turns now versus in the future. Removing the left turns now would increase efficiency and level of service (LOS) and the cost would be significantly less now than in the future. The costs to remove the left turns would be the Town’s responsibility. At this time, NCDOT estimates it would cost the Town approximately $10,000 to remove the left turns in association with the construction of the overall project.”