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Belmont approves NCDOT betterment agreement for I‑85 widening after cost‑sharing commitments
Summary
The council approved city participation in a NCDOT I‑85 betterment agreement covering exits 17–27; Belmont’s municipal share was presented as $1.9 million, with $500,000 in conditional commitments from local institutions reducing the city’s net share to about $1.4 million.
Belmont City Council voted to approve a betterment agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the I‑85 widening project that includes interchange reconfiguration, aesthetic vertical walls, pedestrian lighting and a northern rail‑trail segment.
Staff said the corridor betterment spans from exit 27 to exit 17; Belmont’s cost is concentrated on improvements in the city’s segment, including reconfigured interchange work at exit 26, brick‑veneer walls, 21 mast arms across seven intersections, roundabouts at the abbey entrance and enhanced fencing and lighting along the rail trail. NCDOT will build the northern rail‑trail segment that lies inside the project scope.
The municipal cost share was presented as $1.9 million after design and scope changes reduced an earlier estimate of about $2.7 million. Staff reported two conditional commitments, one each of $250,000 from a monastery entity and from Belmont Abbey College — together $500,000 — contingent on the city approving the full set of betterments. If those commitments are realized, staff said Belmont’s net municipal share would be roughly $1.4 million.
Staff noted that the cost is fixed at agreement signing and would be due at project completion (NCDOT anticipated the Belmont segment construction beginning fiscal year 2026 with project completion no sooner than FY2029). Council members asked about irrigation for landscaped roundabouts, impacts on local businesses affected by road realignment and the interplay with county and tourism commitments for other aesthetic elements.
A motion to approve the betterment agreement was made by Jason, seconded by Alex; the council approved the agreement by voice vote (recorded as 4–1). Staff will return with final contract language and confirm the external commitments.
The approval commits the city to the betterment package subject to the agreement and the staff‑noted external funding commitments and places the expense on the city’s capital planning timeline.
