May 15. By Dave Vieser. Relief is in sight for motorists traversing the intersection of Westmoreland Road and Highway 21/Statesville Road in Cornelius. Work crews have begun to clear trees on the south side of Westmoreland to permit the addition of a new turning lane. Lanes will also be added along Hwy. 21, and it’s all being funded by Atrium as they complete their new hospital.

Background

This busy intersection suffers from major bouts of traffic constipation, all caused by the DOTs failure to provide adequate travel lanes and signals, particularly for eastbound motorists seeking to turn northbound onto Hwy. 21. The way it is currently configured, eastbound traffic seeking to turn left is forced to use the same lane as straight-through, an unworkable design for such a busy intersection.

Details

When all the travel lanes have been added, left-turn motorists will have their own lane, with a dedicated signal. This is expected to reduce congestion at the intersection which is often used by crosstown motorists as an alternate to the heavy volume of traffic going through the DDI at Exit 28.

Improvements Atrium will complete:

• Add a dedicated left turn lane on eastbound Westmoreland Road to the maximum extent possible

• Extend dedicated right turn lane on eastbound Westmoreland Road

• Add 100 feet to southbound right turn lane on Statesville Road at existing Bailey Road

• Extend southbound left turn lane on Statesville Road at existing Bailey Road to 200 feet

• Add 100 feet northbound left turn lane on Statesville Road into hospital site

• Re-stripe westbound right turn lane on existing Bailey Road to a shared through/right lane.