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(January 8, 2017) The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) released its Draft 2018-2027 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) last week, and it includes the widening of Highway 160 (Steele Creek Road) south of South Tryon Street to the South Carolina state line. NCDOT plans to issue the final approved STIP in June 2017. More information on the Draft 2018-2027 STIP is available on the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) web site.
The section south of South Tryon Street was not listed at all in the previous, 2016-2025 STIP, so this is a significant improvement in the priority for Steele Creek Road. Projects scheduled to begin in the first five years of the STIP are considered committed, and not subject to future reprioritization. Thus all Highway 160 projects will be committed once the final STIP is approved later this year. The approved 2016-2025 STIP included two committed projects: Intersection of Highway 160 (Steele Creek Road) and Hamilton Road Widen intersection of NC Highway 160 (Steele Creek Road) and Hamilton Road for additional capacity consistent with the future Steele Creek Road cross section.
FY 2017 - Right-of-Way acquisition - $315,000 Some turn lanes have been added at this intersection by a developer, and Lennar Homes will be required to make additional improvements to accommodate additional traffic expected to be generated by its new residential development under construction near the intersection of Hamilton Road and Smith Road. Highway 160 (Steele Creek Road) from Shopton Road W to S Tryon Street This 4.2 mile widening project extends along Steele Creek Road from Shopton Road West to South Tryon Street (NC Highway 49) in Charlotte. Improvements include widening the existing roadway from two (2) lanes to four (4) lanes with a grassy median and installing bike lanes and sidewalks.
FY 2020 - Right-of-Way
acquisition $3,100,00 The Draft 2018-2027 STIP includes the following project Highway 160 (Steele Creek Road) from S Tryon Street to the South Carolina State Line This 2.2 mile widening project extends along Steele Creek Road from South Tryon Street (NC Highway 49) to the South Carolina state line. Improvements include widening the existing roadway from two (2) lanes to four (4) lanes with a grassy median and installing bike lanes and sidewalks. Developers have provided improvements adjacent to the RiverGate shopping complex.
FY 2020 - Right-of-Way
acquisition $500,00 According to the Lake Wylie Pilot, Highway 160 is South Carolina will be widened from two lanes to five from Gold Hill Road to the North Carolina state line. "Right-of-way acquisition should begin in 2016 for the $8.8 million project. The construction at S.C. 160 and Gold Hill Road is being done by SCDOT. Construction on the rest should come in 2017." CRTPO issued the following statement with the release of the Draft STIP:
Robert Cook, Secretary of CRTPO, will be one of the speakers at the 2017 Steele Creek Residents Association annual meeting and will give an update on the prioritzation of Highway 160 projects. Stuart Basham, NCDOT Division 10 Planning Engineer, and other NCDOT staff also will be at the meeting to answer questions about highway improvement and maintenance projects. The Steele Creek Residents Association meeting will be on Thursday, February 23 beginning at 6:30 PM at Christ the King Church (13501 South Tryon Street). To comment on this story, please visit the Steele Creek Forum. |
Widening Highway 160
to State Line is Part of Latest Plan
The latest plan calls
for right-of-way purchase and utility relocation in 2020 and
construction beginning in 2022. This is the same schedule as the
widening of Highway 160 north of South Tryon Street approved two
years ago. This means that construction on the entire length of
Highway 160 from Shopton Road West to the South Carolina state line
is scheduled to begin as one project in 2022.
