NCDOT Again Postpones Opening Of New I-485 Leg
Posted: 9:33 am EST December 2, 2008Updated: 5:41 pm EST December 2, 2008
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- After an inspection of the latest section of Interstate 485, North Carolina Department of Transportation officials decided not to open the road Tuesday.This is the latest in a series of delays for the 5.5-mile leg that runs from Highway 16/Brookshire Freeway in north Mecklenburg County to Highway 115/Old Statesville Road in Huntersville. It was supposed to open well over a year ago.Construction engineers and NCDOT workers spent the morning touring the new stretch of the loop around Charlotte. Inspectors made a to-do list for contractors, and NCDOT engineers said after looking at the roadway, they became concerned about the drainage.NCDOT officials said it wasn't a deal-breaker, but it'll be another 48 hours before they open the new stretch of road. "After some rain, we had problems with some of the median ditches holding onto water, and we're concerned it could pond out onto the roadway a bit," said Jen Thompson, spokeswoman for the NCDOT. The contract company said the drainage issue isn't its fault. "Where you have flat land, there will be water that gathers. If they want to go back and redesign and do something different, that's up to them. We've done it to design," said Mark Hubbard, who represents Skanska Construction Company, which built the road. No matter who's to blame, another delay is frustrating for drivers who have waited what seems like forever for the stretch of road to open. Dorothy Stowers, who lives near the 485 and Harris Boulevard interchange, which isn't open yet, said, “It'd be much faster if we had it right here, but we've been down here for five years and we've been waiting on it for that long.” The project is nearly two years behind schedule, and now it's going to be at least another two days.SLIDESHOW: I-485 Construction Will Not Finish On Time In Northwest Charlotte RELATED STORY: Contractor For I-485 Says Road Will Not Open On Time RELATED STORY: Next Leg Of I-485 Could Steer Future Of Northlake Mall Area RELATED STORY: I-485 Contractor Talks With Eyewitness News About Delays RELATED STORY: Company Blames NCDOT For Delay In Completing I-485 Leg RELATED STORY: Completion Date For I-485 Pushed Back MAP: NCDOT I-485 Project Map MAP: Previous I-485 Completion Dates
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