Likely Monroe Bypass Route Announced

After nearly 30 years of planning the Monroe Connector/Bypass, transportation leaders said they’ve reached a milestone.

On Thursday, Eyewitness News uncovered the first solid recommendation of where the toll road will be located.

The bypass will go right through Terry Simpson's farm and separate dozens of his family members' homes in Hemby Bridge.

“It's going to affect all my neighbors, my dad – a hundred acre farm, my dad, it's going to go right through him," Simpson said.

The bypass begins at Interstate 485 in Mecklenburg County and continues down Highway 74. It bears northeast just before Indian Trail-Fairview Road and over to Idlewilde Road. Then it continues along Secrest Shortcut, through Unionville, and ends at Highway 74 near Wingate.

The new road will save commuters about 30 minutes by bypassing Monroe, but it will also impact 107 homes, three church properties and 48 businesses.

McGee Corporation is one of those businesses. The section of Highway 74 in front of his business will be elevated about 20 feet for one mile, with access to businesses underneath it.

“It is devastating as a taxpayer. I hate to see this tax revenue go away from Stallings. It's definitely going to hurt Stallings, and we're obviously not going to be able to stay in Stallings now," he said.

Planners considered 16 possible routes for the Monroe Bypass. David Joyner with the Turnpike Authority said this recommendation is the most logical.

"There are unavoidable takings. This particular route would take far fewer homes than the other alternate route,” he said.

The latest plan is still just a recommendation. There will be four public comment meetings.

Work is set to begin in July 2010 at the earliest, and the route should be ready for traffic by 2013.

PDF: Monroe Citizens' Summary With Map, Details On Bypass