Open House Public Meeting

 March 28, 2023

Bethlehem Baptist Church, Taylorsville

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

There will be no formal presentation

Responses to comments and questions received from the public meeting

Project Overview

The N.C. Department of Transportation proposes project R‑3603A to upgrade N.C. 127 from Cloninger Mill Road (S.R. 1400) in Catawba County to Richey Road (S.R. 1156) in Alexander County. The project beginsin the City of Hickory in northern Catawba County, crosses Lake Hickory, and ends north of the unincorporated community of Bethlehem in southern Alexander County.

The purpose of the project is to diminish peak hour traffic queues (line of traffic) at major intersections by improving travel time reliability and system linkage for the existing two-lane roadway. 

N.C. 127 is an important north/south route in the area, connecting I-40 and U.S. 321 in Catawba County with U.S. 64/N.C. 90 in Alexander County.  The project is needed to address substandard lane widths, traffic delays at intersections resulting in poor Levels of Service, and the lack of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. In addition, a single two-lane bridge provides access along N.C. 127 across the Catawba River from the Hickory Metropolitan Area to Alexander County. Providing an additional bridge crossing at this location is needed to improve system linkage between Alexander County and Catawba County.

The proposed project includes:

• Widening of N.C. 127 to a four-lane divided roadway with a 23-foot grass median

• Limiting driveways to one connection per parcel

• Constructing a right-turn lane on N.C. 127 at Bethlehem School Road

• A new bridge over Lake Hickory is proposed to the west of the existing bridge for southbound traffic and a ten-foot wide multi-use path

• Between Cloninger Mill Road and Richey Road, northern intersection, the proposed roadway design consists of two 12-foot lanes in each direction with a ten-foot sidepath/multi-use path on the west side and a five-foot sidewalk on the east 

Project Maps

Click on the links or the thumbnails below to view or download the maps. 

To view Project Map 1 (Cloninger Mill Road to north of Shiloh Church Road), click here or on the map image below 

To view Project Map 2 (north of Shiloh Church Road to north of Telephone Exchange Road), click here or on the map image below 

To view Project Map 3 (north of Telephone Exchange Road to Richey Road), click here or on the map image below 

Typical Section - N.C. 127 from Cloninger Mill Rd. to Richey Rd.

Project Funding:

        *Funded costs are subject to change. 

Project Timeline:

* Future dates subject to change. 

Comments:

NCDOT accepts comments throughout all planning, design, and construction phases of project development.

All comments will be taken into consideration, and carry equal weight, regardless of submittal method.

To submit comments for consideration during the current phase of project development,

please submit before April 11, 2023.  

You may leave comments or questions below

Or

Email the comment or question to NC127-Catawba-Alexander@PublicInput.com

Or

 Phone Number: (512) 580-8850 Code: 1350

          PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION

Verrol McLeary

Project Manager for Divisions 11-14

NCDOT Project Management Unit

1582 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC  27699-1582

    PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION 

Will Kerr

Consultant Project Manager

Michael Baker Engineering, Inc.

8000 Regency Parkway

Cary, NC  27518

RESOURCES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS 

Although the N.C. Department of Transportation works to minimize the number of homes and businesses displaced by a road project, it is inevitable, in many cases, that a certain amount of private property is needed. The following information explains right of way acquisition and answers questions about the process.  

     
Right-of-Way Brochure Single Page Layout      Folleto del Proceso de Adquisición de Bienes Raíces
Right-of-Way Frequently Asked Questions

Right of way Acquisition Process Videos

English                                                                     Spanish

Title VI Feedback

To ensure we’re hearing from a broad set of voices, would you be willing to share (completely anonymously) some information about yourself?

If so, please click here https://publicinput.com/NCDOT-Title-VI