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South Charlotte commuters: Get ready for a few changes along traffic-clogged Providence Road between I-485 and Rea Road.
The widening project isn't near completion. That won't happen until next year.
But, meanwhile, stay alert: Driving lanes along Providence will shift in a few days. Commuters who now drive on the westernmost lanes will shift to the eastern ones. And traffic is likely to remain bumper to bumper.
“It's worst during morning and evening rush hour,” said Mike Ferretti, who runs PostNet postal service, not far from the Outerbelt in Rea Village shopping center. “We see a lot of accidents at the Outerbelt.”
The lane shift is expected by mid-September. Commuters on that stretch now can see new pavement, fully lined in some portions, while workers are putting finishing touches in other areas.
The Providence Road widening project, which has snagged commuters since early 2008, is scheduled to be completed by November 2010. The cost is expected to be $18.4 million.
When finished, the former two-lane Providence Road will be widened to six lanes – three in each direction – from I-485 to Ardrey Kell Road. From Ardrey Kell south to Rea Road, Providence will become a four-lane road. And from Rea Road into Waxhaw, it will remain a two-lane highway.
More than 30,000 drivers use Providence Road between I-485 and Ardrey Kell Road every day, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. That portion is a main artery for commuters in Mecklenburg and Union counties. And during construction, long, crawling lines of traffic have been routine.
Shopping center roads
Meanwhile, state department of transportation officials are trying to address concerns of business owners at Weddington Corners shopping center along Providence Road, just inside Union County. As the road widening is now planned, drivers leaving the shopping center won't be able to make a left turn on N.C. 84 or Providence Road, which are the two main intersecting arteries. N.C. 84 crosses Providence Road in Weddington, adjacent to the shopping center.
“The Department of Transportation has been very nice to admit there is a problem with this setup,” said Brendan Ciganek, who runs Papas Pizza To Go in Weddington Corners.
Ciganek said the road construction has affected some traffic to that shopping center. Drivers traveling south on Providence Road now must turn left into the shopping center. That means crossing the northbound lanes that are being worked on. The lane shift will make that turn easier.
“The mall has definitely seen a decline in traffic,” he said. “I also know that the work has to be done and hopefully, in the long run, this will help the (shopping center).”
Richard Baucom, N.C. Department of Transportation's resident engineer for the road widening, said some options have been discussed with the business owners.
Among them: a connection road from the shopping center to Matthews-Weddington Road. That would allow drivers to get a point where they can turn left on N.C. 84. Another option is a traffic light at the northernmost entrance to the shopping center to allow left turns.
Baucom says road officials have to consider “a fine balance.…We're trying to build a road to handle traffic because the congestion is terrible on that road. But on the other hand, we've got businesses wanting to maintain access.”
