Major Lake Norman road to be rebuilt; officials warn of traffic headaches

State highway officials are warning of traffic snarls and lots of dust as they tear up and rebuild a 2-mile stretch of Jetton Road at Lake Norman in Cornelius over the next two months.

“It’s going to be a messy fix, but the end result will be worth it,” Warren Cooksey of the state Department of Transportation said of the $1.5 million project.

The road’s 12- to 15-inch subsurface needs to be repaired, highway officials said.

“Over time the road has been deteriorating, and this was the best fix,” Cornelius Project Manager Tyler Beardsley said at a news conference.

Jetton Road leads to Mecklenburg County’s Jetton Park, numerous lakefront mansions, the Peninsula Club and its 18-hole golf course, and the Peninsula Yacht Club.

Signs are scheduled to go up on Monday, with work to begin about a week after that. The project contractor is Blythe Brothers Asphalt Co. of Charlotte.

The method that will be used pulverizes the existing road and re-uses it to repair the subsurface. Specialized construction vehicles will dig up and crush the existing road material, add cement and water, and compact the combination into a new road base, highway officials said.

That method reduces project-related truck traffic and also is faster than traditional tear out and removal, officials said.

However, it also makes more dust. Officials warned that nearby residents and businesses likely will see some dust settle on houses, yards, driveways and vehicles. Motorists should drive slowly to avoid damaging paint on their vehicles from debris created during the work.

The work will stretch from near West Catawba Avenue to John Connor Road. Once the project is finished, the state will turn ownership and future maintenance of the road to Cornelius.

One lane in each direction will stay open at all times, Cooksey said. Access to all driveways will remain open, and all work will be done during the day. As with most road construction, underground utility damage is possible.

This story was originally published April 7, 2015 at 10:46 AM with the headline "Major Lake Norman road to be rebuilt; officials warn of traffic headaches."