UNION COUNTY, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Transportation is proposing the Rea Road extension project in Union County to alleviate traffic congestion on Providence Road and Weddington Road.
State transportation officials held a public meeting to present the proposal and gather feedback from local drivers.
The project aims to reduce traffic congestion, improve road safety, and support future growth across Union County.
According to state estimates, traffic volumes on Weddington Road are projected to exceed capacity by 2035 if no infrastructure changes are made.
The proposed four-lane divided roadway would be constructed east of Providence Road.
It would connect with Weddington Road, also known as N.C. 84, and widen the existing portion of N.C. 84 as it passes Weddington High School before ending near Waxhaw-Indian Trail Road in Wesley Chapel.
Another related transportation project includes improvements along Providence Road South, extending from the Rea Road Extension to Bonds Grove Church Road and continuing to Waxhaw Parkway.
Max Anderson, a local resident who lives near Weddington Road, said the area experiences regular traffic bottlenecks near the highway.
“I know, living right over there on Weddington Road. This intersection here gets pretty congested, especially coming from that way and the highway. So I think it would help a lot of people out,” Anderson said.
He noted that the extension could benefit the community: “I think it could do a lot of good for us. If they do it the right way.”
Construction on the project is expected to begin in the summer of 2027. Members of the public who were unable to attend the meeting can submit feedback on the proposal for another month.
The public meeting at Weddington United Methodist Church was organized as a drop-in session, offering community members the opportunity to examine project maps, ask questions of project officials, and submit feedback.
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
