NCDOT announces plans for $300+ million road-widening project along Highway 73
The project will cover an 8.5-mile stretch from Northcross Drive to Highway 16.
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - The NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has announced plans for a $300 million project aimed at widening Highway 73 between Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties.
The project, which covers an 8.5-mile stretch between Northcross Drive in Huntersville and Highway 16 in Lincoln County, is scheduled to begin construction in 2026. A targeted completion date has not yet been made public.
Officials said the work is needed to accommodate for future growth in the area, and called the stretch of highway a “regionally important route.”
NCDOT said it expects traffic on the portion of Highway 73 from Highway 16 to West Catawba Avenue to increase by 35 percent by 2040. From West Catawba Avenue to Northcross Drive, traffic is projected to increase by 60 percent.
A breakdown of the $302.8 million undertaking includes $20.9 million for utility relocation, $120.4 million for property acquisition and $161.5 million for construction. The most expensive portion of the project is the stretch from Highway 16 to Beatties Ford Road. Nearly $159 million will go toward that stretch of roadway alone.
A public meeting regarding the project will be held on Nov. 14 from 2-7 p.m. at Lake Norman Baptist Church.
More detailed information about the Highway 73 project can be found on the NCDOT’s website.
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