Cabarrus road construction creating problems for businesses

New construction along Poplar Tent Road in Cabarrus County is causing problems for business owners along a 1.5-mile stretch.

That area of Poplar Tent is being turned into what the state calls a "super street," a four-lane road with a unique design aimed at limiting left hand turns to make the road safer.

"It will impact us tremendously," said Gene Collins, part owner of Poplar Point Self Storage.

Collins said he fears the new design will cost him business.

"I would like to have it done in such a way that I don't lose half my customers," Collins said.

The current design requires people driving east to go past his business, make a U-turn and come back. He wants the state to add a left turn lane in front of his entrance.

But Department of Transportation engineer Davis Diggs said adding a left turn anywhere along the super street makes the design ineffective.

"It may be counter-intuitive to the driver to have to go beyond your destination point to have to turn around and come back -- but in the end and what we've seen across the state with these designs -- is that it's safer," Diggs said.

The road expansion is causing another problem on Poplar Tent.

Keith Barbee said his car wash is going to be destroyed because it's in the way.

"This was going to be how I was going to put kids through school, so it's very emotional, very emotional," Barbee said.

He said he does not know how much the state will pay him as part of the buy-out.

The company contracted to do the work along Poplar Tent said the value of Barbee's property, his building and everything inside of it has been appraised.

That value has been turned over to the Department of Transportation and should be presented to Barbee sometime next week. It will be up to him if he wants to take the offer. If not, it goes to court.

Regardless, the work will begin this spring.