BACK TO SCHOOL TRAFFIC GUIDE

BACK TO SCHOOL TRAFFIC ALERT (August 25th) -- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools heads back to class on Wednesday, August 25th.  Expect significant congestion on all major roadways and allow extra time for the morning commute.  Traffic will be heaviest the first 2-3 days of school as parents drive their children to school and bus drivers get acclimated to new routes.

THE FOUR WORST TRAFFIC TROUBLE SPOTS:  Traffic Team 9 has researched the worst school-related traffic trouble spots in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg district:

Old Statesville Rd. between Huntersville and the Harris Blvd. area.  North Mecklenburg High School, Alexander Middle School, and Blythe Elementary School are all located within one mile of each other on this normally congested stretch of Old Statesville Rd.  Expect significant delays from 6:45 a.m. through 7:45 a.m., and from 8:30 a.m. through 9 a.m.  Use Statesville Rd., use I-77, or use Mt. Holly-Huntersville Rd. to Northlake Center Parkway (left), as alternate routes between the Huntersville/Gilead Rd. area and the Harris Blvd./Northlake Mall area. Park Rd. between Johnston Rd. and Sharon Rd. West.  South Mecklenburg High School, Quail Hollow Middle School, and Smithfield Elementary School are all clustered in this area.  Significant delays are expected from 6:45 a.m. through 7:45 a.m., and again from 8:30 a.m. through 9 a.m.  From the Pineville-Matthews Rd. area, use Carmel Rd. to Quail Hollow Rd. (left) to Sharon Rd. (continue straight) as an alternate route into the SouthPark area.  Use I-485 to South Blvd. (right) as an alternate route traveling toward Tyvola Rd. and Uptown Charlotte. Monroe Rd. between Village Lake Dr. and Rama Rd.  East Mecklenburg High School and Greenway Park Elementary School both cause congestion and delays between 6:45 a.m. and 7:45 a.m.  Use Sardis Rd. North (right) to Independence Blvd. (left) as an alternate route traveling toward Uptown Charlotte. Pineville-Matthews Rd. between Providence Rd. and Alexander Rd.  Providence High School traffic and regular commuters combine to cause significant backups (and sometimes accidents) from 6:45 a.m. through 7:30 a.m.  Local traffic should use Alexander Rd. (right) to Providence Rd. (left) as an alternate route.  Commuters should use I-485 as an alternate route between the Matthews area and Rea Rd.

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NEW SCHOOLS WILL CAUSE UNEXPECTED DELAYS:  Two new schools will bring new congestion and traffic problems to busy commuter routes:

Old Statesville Rd. in Cornelius - The new Hough High is located on Bailey Rd., just off of Old Statesville Rd./NC 115 near Sam Furr Rd.  School traffic will add even more delays to the already congested area between 6:45 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.  Use Statesville Rd. or I-77 as alternate routes between Catawba Ave. and Sam Furr Rd.  If traveling south from Davidson, consider using Davidson-Concord Rd. to Highway 73/Sam Furr Rd. (right) as an alternate route into Huntersville. Highway 51 in Mint Hill -- The new Rocky River High School is located off of Blair Rd./Highway 51 in Mint Hill, between I-485 and Albemarle Rd.  School traffic will cause delays between 6:45 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.  Use I-485 to Albemarle Rd. as an alternate route.