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Curvy Bailey Road near Lake Norman to get $7.8 million in safety improvements

A Charlotte contractor is scheduled to begin $7.8 million in improvements to curvy Bailey Road in Cornelius by the end of the month, N.C. Department of Transportation officials said this week.

The state awarded the contract last week to Blythe Development Inc., which is expected to finish the road portion of the project in fall 2027, officials said.

Bailey Road connects U.S. 21 with N.C. 115 south of downtown Cornelius.

New roundabout and stretch of road planned

Blythe will extend Bailey Road about a half-mile on a new stretch of the road between U.S. 21 (Statesville Road) and Poole Place Drive, according to an NCDOT news release.

The contractor also will build a roundabout at Bailey Road/Poole Place Drive/Bailey Road Extension, officials said.

The project also will connect the planned Bailey Road extension to the 2.4-mile Caldwell Station Creek Greenway. The greenway will be temporarily closed at a date to be announced so a new culvert can be built, according to NCDOT.

Landscaping and adding vegetation can continue into spring 2028, according to the contract.

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This story was originally published March 11, 2026 at 9:55 AM.

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Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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