Sharon Road closure at Sulkirk Road underway

Sharon Road is closed at Sulkirk Road for about two weeks to allow for a water main replacement.

The closure began early Saturday and will be in place until 6 p.m. March 22, the Charlotte Department of Transportation said. Drivers can use a detour route of Fairview Road, Park South Drive and Park Road.

The closure originally was supposed to start in February, but the weather delayed the work, CDOT spokeswoman Doreen Szymanski said.

While the road is closed, there will not be direct access to Sulkirk Road from Sharon Road.

Local traffic can detour from northbound Sharon Road by using Brookfield Drive and Severn Avenue. From southbound Sharon Road, use Eastburn Road, Anchor Street, Stokes Avenue and Sulstone Lane.

Charlotte Water is replacing a drinking water pipe in the area.

Some residents have expressed concerns to the Observer about Sharon Road traffic being funneled onto their side streets during the project.

The alternative, however, is to keep some lanes open and some closed intermittently over six weeks, Danny Pleasant, director of CDOT, told the Observer. Closing all four lanes together shortens the time, he said.

The project is needed because the pipes are decades old and much growth has occurred in the area, requiring better lines, Pleasant said.

This story was originally published February 27, 2015 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Sharon Road closure at Sulkirk Road underway."