Bill Coxe
Transportation Planner
bcoxe@huntersville.org

NC73 Widening Update

The NCDOT and the Town of Huntersville have partnered with STV / Ralph Whitehead Associates on the NC 73 Widening project to complete project planning and preliminary design activities.  Widening will take place from west of Statesville Road (US-21) to just east of Davidson-Concord Road.  The purpose of the project is to widen NC73 to reduce congestion and improve safety and mobility throughout the corridor.

The Town of Huntersville and NCDOT have entered into a municipal agreement to accelerate the project planning, as well as subsequent phases of the project, to have the widening take place sooner than originally prescribed in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).  The TIP is a seven-year plan by NCDOT identifying transportation needs in the State.  Under the municipal agreement, construction would begin in 2007 and NCDOT will reimburse the Town as the TIP construction funds become available in 2012. 

The original planning for this project was done in 1993.  Due to the age of the original planning document and the rapid development of the corridor, the NCDOT and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have agreed to reevaluate and update the information contained in the original planning document.  Engineers, surveyors, environmental scientists, and historians from STV / Ralph Whitehead Associates and others will be working as representatives of the NCDOT and Town of Huntersville for the next several months. They will be gathering data to be used in the documentation and development of project alternatives.

The first public workshop for the project will be held December 12, 2006 from 6:30-8:00 at Huntersville Town Hall.  The meeting will follow an informal format and area residents are encouraged to “drop in” at their convenience.  Representatives from STV / Ralph Whitehead and the Town of Huntersville will be on hand to answer questions.  The first newsletter was distributed to area residents in late November.  A copy of the newsletter can be viewed HERE.

Update (March 2007) - Second newsletter now available by clicking HERE.

For more information, contact STV / Ralph Whitehead Project Manager, Brian Dehler at 704.372.1885, NCDOT Project Manager, Alden Whitmore at 704.982.0101 or Huntersville's Public Works Director, David Jarrett at 704.875.7007.

Update from December 12 Public Workshop

Map of Project Area from May 9th Public Workshop (4.8 MB)