Skip to main content

New Soap Opera: As Interstate 485 gets delayed

Image
By

Just when you thought the reasons (read: excuses) for the now over 18 months of delays in the completion of 5.5 miles of Interstate 485 comes two new details that couldn't come from a Hollywood Soap Opera.

Let's start with a story that broke this past Tuesday - A lack of traffic signals will keep I-485 closed prior to Thanksgiving. (Now you see why they said December 31st just a month ago.) yes, missing traffic signals at the W.T. Harris Blvd. (which we recently learned is now NC 24) Interchange will keep the road closed before Thanksgiving. (Those that will be stuck on I-77 in Huntersville on the day before Thanksgiving salute you.)

So how is this possible? NCDOT doesn't even know. They only applied for the permits last week, and Charlotte's DOT can't move that fast. So Skanska, the beleaguered contractor, offered to put up temporary poles and traffic signals. NCDOT summoned Lee Corso and said, "Not, so fast my friend." They want the permanent signals and poles in - a process that could take two weeks. (dramatic pause) If, all goes well.

So on Wednesday, Skanska publically apologize for the delays. (Just this one, not the prior 19 months.) And said they were trying to get everything done by the Monday after Thanksgiving.

But on Thursday, Lee Corso came back to Charlotte (No, he wasn't interviewing for the UNC-Charlotte football job...although 49er football will begin before I-485 is completed - that's another post.) and again said, "Not so fast, my friend."

It seems that while digging a hole for the traffic light poles, a contractor punched a hole in a 16" water main. Yes, while digging a hole for the traffic light poles, a contractor punched a hole in a 16" water main. (repeated for emphasis) Fortunately, the repairs were made...and the water main break may only add another day to the delays...but after nearly 20 months...who's counting.

Stories:
WCNC-TV - I-485 Stretch won't open by Thanksgiving
WCNC-TV - I-485 contractor appologizes for delay
WCNC-TV - Water main break could further delay 485

Commentary:
I think the story speaks for itself.
Labels:

Comments

Da-ud said…
I wonder how many in NCDOT will be eager to see this contractor chosen for future projects??

Interesting about the NC-24 extension. After all these years, the 24/27 combination across half of southern NC was useful. Now if they'd just replace the eastern half of NC-73 with a relocated NC-27 and let 24 carry the current 24/27, they'd get even more use out of the combination... and end the NC-73/I-73 intersection nonsense.

Of course, that'll happen just as soon as US 72 is extended eastward from Chattanooga replacing US 74. Never.
11:44 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Did Caltrans just kill the G26 cutout US Route shields?

By
The US Route System was formally created by the American Association of State Highway Officials during November 1926.  Through the history of the system the only state to which has elected to maintain cutout US Route shields has been California.  The G26 series cutout US Route shields have become a favorite in the road enthusiast hobby and are generally considered to be much more visually pleasing than the standard Federal Highway Administration variant.  However, the G26 shield series appears to have been killed off on January 18, 2026, when Caltrans updated their Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.  This blog will examine the history of the US Route shield specifications in California and what is happening with the 2026 changes.  The blog cover photo is facing towards the terminus of California State Route 136 and at a G26-2 specification US Route 395 shield.  In the background Mount Whitney can be seen in the Sierra Nevada range.   ...
3 comments
Read more

Hawaii Route 50

By
Hawaii Route 50 is the longest Sign Route on the island of Kauai at 32.6 miles.  The entirety of Hawaii Route 50 is overlaid atop Kaumualii Highway from Lihue west to the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands. Hawaii Route 50 is one of the original 1955-era State Highway designations on Kauai.  Much of the Kaumualii Highway corridor was constructed during the sugar plantation boom of the late Hawaiian Kingdom.  The first tee beam bridge in Hawaii would be constructed along the Kaumualii Highway in 1911 at the Hanapepe.  Much of this highway would be modernized to two-lane standards through the 1930s and 1940s. This page is part of the Gribblenation Hawaii Roads series.  A compellation of all Hawaii-related media from both Gribblenation and RoadwayWiz can be found by clicking  here .  Part 1; the history of Hawaii Route 50 and Kaumualii Highway Hawaii Route 50 is the longest highway on Kauai at 32.6 miles.  The highway begins at Rice Str...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ghost Town Tuesday; Nichols, FL

By
A couple years ago I spent a lot of spare time exploring phosphate mining ghost towns in the Bone Valley of Polk County, Florida.  One ghost town in particular called Nichols on Polk County Route 676 west of Mulberry caught my eye due to a relative lack of documentation on ghosttowns.com. Nichols was created in 1905 during the early phosphate mining boom in the Bone Valley region.  For the time Nichols was unusual since it had company housing in the Nichols Mine site and private residences outside the gate.  Nichols is only about two miles west of Mulberry which probably made it a somewhat reasonable commute even by the wonky standards of the early 20th Century.  Most of the Bone Valley region was relatively remote which made commuting or homesteading impractical which is why there are so many ghost towns in the area.  The company housing section of Nichols was phased out and abandoned by 1950. The Nichols town site is largely abandoned and could "possibl...
4 comments
Read more