Council approves application for MPO funds to build roundabout at Rock Hill Church and Weddington roads

The City Council authorized staff to submit an application for Surface Transportation Block Grant Direct Allocation (STBGDA) funds to the Cabarrus‑Rowan Metropolitan Planning Organization to convert the Rock Hill Church Road and Weddington Road intersection to a roundabout. Tony (transportation staff) summarized the existing intersection, describing limited sight lines, high‑speed approaches and a crash pattern that earlier engineering studies identified as suitable for a roundabout. Staff said a previous study selected a roundabout as the preferred alternative and estimated the conversion at approximately $3,000,000. The project has been in the city’s CIP for prior years but required a matching funding source to proceed. Tony said the MPO’s call for projects released in June includes roughly $20,000,000 available to program in this cycle and that staff planned to submit an application by the MPO deadline in August. If selected, awards would be announced at the MPO meeting in August or September. Staff noted coordination with NCDOT and the electric department is already underway to address a large power pole within the triangular island at the intersection. Council members asked questions about the estimate’s recency and potential impacts on a nearby country club tee box; staff said the most recent estimate was prepared within the past few months and that the design work is being coordinated to avoid impacts where feasible. Council approved the motion to submit the MPO grant application.