There is another option. South Carolina could look at another route to 77 from Indian Land that does not require coming through the center of Ballantyne. So much is being done to build up the community of Ballantyne in terms of retail, entertainment etc. it doesn’t need another Independence Boulevard running through it.
Another option may be to widen Lancaster Highway to 2 lanes and divert traffic coming from the south to take Lancaster Highway to 485 in Pineville instead of through the middle of Ballantyne.
Maybe Charlotte / Mecklenburg should consider limiting building permits like some other towns I.e. Mt Pleasant SC until infrastructure catches up or we will all be in gridlock and Charlotte will no longer be so desirable.
Do nothing on roads; provide more mass transit. As Robert Moses proved in NYC, you can never build enough roads to accommodate the resulting demand of more cars.
Without multiple connecting streets inside and between neighborhoods, shopping areas, etc., traffic will continue to be a nightmare. The problem is how the development has been designed, so that driving is the only way to navigate the area, whether you're going through it or just going to the grocery story. NCDOT proposals won't solve the traffic problems. Mass transit is the only thing that might help. It won't reduce traffic but it could reduce how bad future traffic will be. But no one wants to pay the $$ to build a sensible transit system. Despite everyone being happy to pay the muiti-millions to repeatedly widen roads and streets.
NCDOT and SCDOT are hopefully collaborating on how to help SC residents without harming NC residents. Turning it into a version of Independence Blvd will harm the character of Ballantyne and devalue the real estate and probably Indian Land also. It will also make access to the new Novant Hospital Emergency Room more difficult, which can't be good. SC has the option of widening Hwy 160 for access to I-77. Combine that with widening Lancaster Highway and that could possibly help immensely. I imagine NCDOT can obtain control of it. -- The high cost and adverse impact of a 521 widening need not fall onto NC residents.
There is another option. South Carolina could look at another route to 77 from Indian Land that does not require coming through the center of Ballantyne. So much is being done to build up the community of Ballantyne in terms of retail, entertainment etc. it doesn’t need another Independence Boulevard running through it.
Another option may be to widen Lancaster Highway to 2 lanes and divert traffic coming from the south to take Lancaster Highway to 485 in Pineville instead of through the middle of Ballantyne.
Maybe Charlotte / Mecklenburg should consider limiting building permits like some other towns I.e. Mt Pleasant SC until infrastructure catches up or we will all be in gridlock and Charlotte will no longer be so desirable.
Do nothing on roads; provide more mass transit. As Robert Moses proved in NYC, you can never build enough roads to accommodate the resulting demand of more cars.
Without multiple connecting streets inside and between neighborhoods, shopping areas, etc., traffic will continue to be a nightmare. The problem is how the development has been designed, so that driving is the only way to navigate the area, whether you're going through it or just going to the grocery story. NCDOT proposals won't solve the traffic problems. Mass transit is the only thing that might help. It won't reduce traffic but it could reduce how bad future traffic will be. But no one wants to pay the $$ to build a sensible transit system. Despite everyone being happy to pay the muiti-millions to repeatedly widen roads and streets.
NCDOT and SCDOT are hopefully collaborating on how to help SC residents without harming NC residents. Turning it into a version of Independence Blvd will harm the character of Ballantyne and devalue the real estate and probably Indian Land also. It will also make access to the new Novant Hospital Emergency Room more difficult, which can't be good. SC has the option of widening Hwy 160 for access to I-77. Combine that with widening Lancaster Highway and that could possibly help immensely. I imagine NCDOT can obtain control of it. -- The high cost and adverse impact of a 521 widening need not fall onto NC residents.