Town staff preview plan to widen 115 between Highway 73 and McCord Road; nearly $6 million in CRTPO funds available

Mister Trott, a town staff member introduced to the group as the presenter, outlined a conceptual plan to widen 115 between Highway 73 and McCord Road to a four‑lane divided roadway and add multiuse paths on both sides, saying the town can be reimbursed for up to "almost $6,000,000" through the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO).

Trott said the town is currently working on the environmental document for the project, which he identified as HL 056, and that staff hope to begin construction in early 2029 if the schedule holds. He described the northern end near Highway 73 as already widened during a prior project about 13 to 15 years ago; the current concept would carry a four‑lane section south to McCord Road and transition back to two lanes beyond the southern project limit.

The concept presented includes multiuse paths on both sides of the road to improve pedestrian and bicycle connections where sidewalks are now disconnected. Trott said the design would add turn lanes or turn‑lane storage at intersections and a median along the newly widened section, which would reduce direct driveway access and accommodate u‑turns at major intersections; he said the McCord intersection is proposed to remain a full‑movement intersection rather than be modified to restricted movements.

Trott read a nondiscrimination statement advising that public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age, income, or gender and referenced compliance with federal civil‑rights requirements. He cautioned the map shown was an initial concept: specific driveway cuts, crosswalk locations, sidewalk ramps, exact grading, and utility relocations have not yet been finalized.

On funding and schedule, Trott said the town was awarded CRTPO funds several years ago that are now available and that the town "can get reimbursed up to, almost $6,000,000." He said the project is in the environmental review stage and staff hope to start construction in early 2029. When asked about construction duration, Trott offered a ballpark estimate of two years.

Trott listed technical challenges that remain to be resolved, including unknown overhead and underground utilities, a major water transmission line along the corridor, a culvert that may need upsizing in a low point on the route, and grading that may not meet current standards and could require raising the roadway. He also noted a railroad crossing near McCord Road and said an agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) imposes a delivery timeline that may limit the time available to coordinate work with the railroad; he suggested the rail‑crossing work could be addressed as a separate future project.

Trott invited the public to a drop‑in information meeting at Town Hall's second floor next week on Tuesday, identified in the meeting as "the 24th," between 4 and 7 p.m.; the consultant on the project will be present to answer questions. The pre‑meeting concluded and the moderator said the group would reconvene at 6 p.m.

Next steps described at the meeting: continued work on the environmental document and refinement of design details, public outreach at the announced drop‑in meeting, and subsequent design work to resolve utilities, right‑of‑way, drainage, and railroad coordination issues.