Nov. 18. By Dave Vieser. The Town of Cornelius has officially taken over Jetton Road from the state. The four lane section was completely repaved at state expense this spring, with the understanding that the town would take over maintenance from West Catawba to John Connor Road.

The original road, built by Crescent Resources, did not meet current construction standards, leading to frequent deterioration in the asphalt surface. The paving job done by the state included a complete rebuilding of the base to avoid such problems in the future.

With the town taking over the road, there may be some movement towards a change in the 45 mile an hour speed limit which conflicts with the town’s kinder, gentler approach to pedestrians and cyclists. Several commissioners had previously indicated they may be in favor of reducing the speed limit.

Commissioner Jim Duke, who lives in The Peninsula, says that the town will survey local residents to gauge their opinion about the speed limit before making any changes.