Date of Public Meeting About Augustalee Transportation Improvement Details Moved To April 8 - Please Attend

An open public meeting to present plans to widen I-77 and make many other transportation improvements in North Mecklenburg County around Augustalee has been rescheduled for 4-7 p.m. April 8 at Cornelius Town Hall. You are urged to attend and express your support.

A major transportation enhancement project is being designed which will support the planned Augustalee development and significantly improve transportation in the region.

Augustalee will be located on the southwest corner of I-77 and Westmoreland Road. The project will provide employment opportunities for thousands of people both near term with construction jobs and long term with office, retail, and hospitality industry jobs. It will also provide multi-family residences for the growing town of Cornelius, and transportation enhancements that will expand multimodal transportation opportunities and more efficient vehicular travel options in the study area – all resulting in transportation and environmental benefits to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg metropolitan region.

The transportation enhancement projects include:

• Widening of I-77 from West Catawba Avenue (Exit 28) to a point south of Gilead Road (Exit 23) where the 6-lane section of I-77 begins
• A new interchange on I-77 at Westmoreland Road
• Widening of Westmoreland Road from West Catawba Avenue to US 21 (Statesville Road)
• Widening of US 21 from Westmoreland Road to north of NC 73 (Sam Furr Road)
• The realignment of Bailey Road at Poole Place Drive
• The construction of a new connector (Jim Cooke Road) from the realigned Bailey Road over I-77 to Northcross Drive extension
• The construction of a new segment of Northcross Drive from Jim Cooke Road to Westmoreland Road. (The map in this newsletter shows the project study area and the proposed transportation enhancements.)

Purposes of the Enhancement Project

The purposes of these transportation enhancement projects are to increase capacity for traffic on the existing road network, to provide new roads to enhance connectivity across I-77 and within Cornelius, and to provide more efficient vehicular travel options for the region. This project will also significantly improve the bicycle and pedestrian access within the Town of Cornelius and adjacent areas. These improvements will benefit everyone in the surrounding community, not just people who live, work and shop in the Cornelius, Huntersville, Davidson and Mooresville area. They will reduce gridlock on the Interstate, get people to their destinations with reduced congestion, allow easier access to businesses, and benefit the environment by reducing air pollution.

Preferred Alternative Selected

The transportation improvements will not require the relocation of any residences or businesses. No significant impacts to community resources are anticipated, including schools, hospitals, and churches. There are 21 streams and no wetlands in the study area; impacts to streams will continue to be avoided or minimized through the design process. Potential noise and air quality impacts are currently being studied, and results will be published in the environmental assessment. Although there may be limited disruption to business and residential access during construction, there will be an improvement in overall access after the project is completed.

Planning Process

NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) is a procedural law that provides a process for agencies to make an analytical study of the impacts of alternatives. The planning process provides a framework for striking a balance between the use and preservation of natural and cultural resources. The NEPA process includes the following workshop, to which you are cordially invited:

Citizens’ Informational Workshop
April 8, 2009
4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Cornelius Town Hall
• Informal walk-in format
• Ask questions of the project team
• Provide your input

We encourage you to attend this meeting and express your positive support. Please also visit the ever-expanding website at www.augustalee.com to learn more, and use the online Feedback form to share your thoughts as well.