INTERSTATE LIGHTING: NCDOT still working to illuminate interstates months after they said they'd be done

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dodging the traffic, wrecks and construction on Charlotte's interstates can be challenging enough during the day, but at night, it's even worse.

"You run off the road if you don't watch it," driver Nikki Justice said.

Justice and other drivers said they try to stay off the interstates at night because they think they're too dark and dangerous.

Justice said, "I use my brights constantly."

Driver Antuane Kerr said, "It's not safe. It's not going to be safe if you can't see."

In October 2017, the North Carolina Department of Transportation said it would replace all the streetlights on Mecklenburg County's interstates by March 2018.

When March came and went, Channel 9 started investigating.

NCDOT told Channel 9 that delays had pushed back the estimated completion date to the end of summer.

The summer is over now, but the interstates are still in the dark.

Channel 9 asked NCDOT why streetlights still don't work, and officials said the department still has to fix 1,000 lights, which is about one-third of the 3,300 lights that needed to be repaired.

Channel 9's Mark Barber asked NCDOT spokeswoman Jen Thompson, "Are these delays acceptable?"

Thompson said they weren't, however, she said, NCDOT has had to deal with issue beyond its control, such as inclement weather and large sporting events that prevented the department from shutting down lanes to traffic overnight.

Thompson said one of the biggest reasons crews aren't done is that they've had a hard time getting workers to handle the overnight lane closures.

She said, "There have been some issues with scheduling some of the traffic control subcontractors."

Thompson said the department is working to make sure everything is completed by a mid November deadline.

She said, if the work isn't finished by then, NCDOT could look into penalizing its prime subcontractor by not paying the company in full.

The project is costing taxpayers $31 million, so the delays are frustrating.

"There should be a streetlight every two blocks in Charlotte for that price. That's ridiculous. It's dangerous," Justice said.

NCDOT officials said that, even though they have started installing some new lights, drivers likely won't see any improvement until mid-November because the lights haven't been programmed yet.

Kerr said, "They just need to get it together."

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