Questions remain on West Boulevard corridor’s future

NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

A schematic of the planned bridge to be built on Morris Field Drive. City and state officials met with residents of the West Boulevard corridor on Jan. 9 to discuss infrastructure projects slated for the area.

While many development projects are in the works along the West Boulevard Corridor, residents’ questions remain unanswered.

Charlotte Area Transit System, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport were represented at a Jan. 9 meeting sponsored by West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition. The meeting was meant to give residents of the corridor’s 19 historically Black neighborhoods a comprehensive view of infrastructure changes to come, which include bridge improvements, re-alignment of I-77, construction of the airport’s fourth parallel runway, and connectors to Ashley and Clanton roads.  

Residents had questions about impacts to the local environment, displacement, and overall quality of life that may come from these projects; many of which representatives could not answer. Several bridge projects from the Department of Transportation are expected to begin construction in 2028.

Bridge 5931, for example, is located on Morris Field Drive and goes over the Norfolk Southern Railroad. Charles Ainsworth of NCDOT Division 10 said the bridge’s repair is funded by the Charlotte Department of Transportation. Council member Tiawana Brown, who was present, said it was news to her.

“This is the first time I’m hearing about it, and I’m hearing a lot of questions not being answered,” she said.

Construction is expected to start in 2028.

The bridge will have two multi-use paths, as well as sidewalks on both sides of two-way traffic lanes. Besides sediment and erosion-control devices, Ainsworth said there are no current plans for control of particulate matter that may come from the construction process.

Bridge 5984 goes over the Norfolk Southern Railroad at South Tryon Street, impacting the Woodlawn neighborhood.

There is also an expansion project to close Donald Ross Road, which is adjacent to the Carolina Golf Club, and extends Clanton Road to Wilkinson Boulevard. Residents were concerned about a bottleneck effect at Steele Creek Road. The project is called P-5730 and will add express lanes to the road.

Residents raised the history of roads’ negative impact on predominantly African American communities, even in Charlotte.  

“As much as we do to bring this community together,” said Mullins, who lives in the corridor, “this would completely divide the community.”

Residents also raised concerns about the impact these projects will have on property values and transit.

One resident also invited NCDOT’s Division 10 team, which oversees projects in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties, to walk from Remount Road to South Tryon Street during morning and evening rush hours.

“It seems like there’s a disconnect of experiences,” he said.

Ainsworth said there are plans to do more public engagement sessions in the future. Department representatives were invited to return to future corridor meetings to follow up. The next corridor-wide meeting is scheduled for March 4.

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