What do you think about left turns at Torrence Chapel?
Photo by Jason Benavides
March 22. By Dave Vieser. The Cornelius Town Board plans to survey residents on eliminating left turns at the Torrence Chapel/Liverpool Parkway/West Catawba intersection. In a memo to the board, Deputy Manager Wayne Herron said “NCDOT has asked the Town for one last consideration regarding removing the left turns now versus in the future.”
The description of the agenda item last night went on to say: “Removing the left turns now would increase efficiency and level of service (LOS) and the cost would be significantly less now than in the future.”
But during a lively discussion, at least one commissioner thought the proposal should be rejected.
“I wouldn’t even consider this request. I would dismiss it out of hand,” said Commissioner Dave Gilroy, who was on the board when the original deal was hammered out with NCDOT.
Gilroy
Background
In May of 2017, the town struck an agreement with NCDOT that these turns would remain after the completion of the triple roundabout projects planned in the area. They would only be phased out over time as average daily traffic volume increased.
NCDOT recently suggested that removing the left turns would increase efficiency and the intersection’s “level of service.” The cost would be significantly less now than in the future.
The cost would be borne by the town, not the NCDOT.
When this issue first arose in 2017, there was considerable opposition to removing the left turns. However, over the past four years, it has become clear that the time it takes to handle the left-turning traffic creates additional congestion for Catawba Avenue traffic, particularly eastbound motorists seeking to access I-77 or travel crosstown. Whether this is enough to sway public opinion towards eliminating the left turns will be determined during the next several months by the town in a survey manner to be announced.
In other action, the commissioners:
—Reappointed four members of the Land Development Code Advisory Board (LDCAB). Bob Bruton, Joe Dean, Karen Tovar and Laura Pegram will serve additional two-year terms at the recommendation of Chair Cheryl Crawford. Taken together, the four have a total of 27 years on LDCAB, which recommends changes and amendments in the Town planning processes and procedures.
—Adopted a 14 point state legislative agenda outlining priorities for the town and its residents. The new board chose to compose a shorter list this year than what was done previously, focusing on the most important issues. The agenda includes maintaining the timetable and funding of the many transportation projects in Cornelius, a new Exit 27 on I-77 at Westmoreland Road, $3 million in funds for community redevelopment in Smithville, and creating a new magistrate position to handle cases in North Mecklenburg. Copies are distributed to state representatives.
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People making left turns onto Liverpool back traffic up to the DD. Left turns from Liverpool onto W Catawba back up because the green lights are so short. Certain times of the day I avoid making left turns anyway. You may as well go ahead and do it…as long as you improve the intersection at One Norman to handle the increased traffic.
The fact that the right lane heading NORTH on One Norman is not right turn only backs up the traffic heading south tremendously. It is nearly impossibly to turn left out of Knox Road / One Norman onto W. Catawba during the day as a result. This seems like an easy fix which could improve traffic flow and help support the idea of getting rid of the left lanes.
how about no
Agree! When DOT says this will increase efficiency…efficiency for whom? Certainly not any of us. So we’re moving traffic congestion on Torrence chapel to knox and blue stone harbor?? This is beyond ridiculous. Sounds like someone at DOT is asleep at the wheel.
Totally agree with this comment. The entire Catawba/One Norman intersection needs redevelopment BEFORE any changes to Torrence Chapel.
Let’s take all the traffic throw it on the side .That’s stupid. So when everyone goes straight over Catawba cuts thru the Wendy’s entrance/exit to make a right turn to go on to 77 south. Let us pray for the people that want to go north on 77.To cross 3 lanes in busy traffic.One more point what ever happened to the exit 28 extension of the lane going south. Just my two cents…
Whom are these proposed changes meant to benefit? Are we only concerned with rush hour, or also all the people during the day who cross over the DD to go to the post office or businesses on Liverpool? Why should drivers have to go all the way to One Norman and back to get to the post office? Some of the Torrence Chapel traffic at peak times could be eased if some drivers voluntarily redirected using Knox and One Norman or if headed west on Catawba, used Knox or the shopping center exit near Fifth Third. And although I am glad that some citizen perspectives are finally possibly being noticed it amazes me that citizens were not asked earlier in the process.
Stop the left turn from Catawba to Liverpool. Most of those people are just trying to take short cut anyway. That backs up traffic going west on Catawba.
I disagree. Most people turning LEFT on Liverpool are visiting the post office, commuting to their workplace and commerce (i.e. 3 car dealerships, a body shop, many office units, Ease plumbing, the shipping center with Big Bitez and the gym). I travel there daily and rarely actually see anyone turning across traffic onto Liverpool to “shortcut” as you say. In fact that’s no short cut at all- once you pass through the Liverpool/TC intersection, traffic is clear all the way past Jetton where the backups start again jamming all of the traffic into a single Westbound lane.
It is an assumption what “most people” are trying to do. The patrons of multiple businesses on Liverpool would differ with that assumption.
So, if I’m reading this correctly, anyone coming from Torrence Chapel, will have to use Knox Rd? That is absurd. How is Knox road going to handle all of that traffic? You have a major development using that road daily. How can this be a good idea? I don’t know the answer, but putting that much traffic on Knox Road is just wrong.
Traffic issues in .Cornelius is beyond fixing and is only going to get worse—— thanks to the unbelievable appraisal of the 850 units East of the rail road tracks.
Spend this money on repaving our current streets.
NCDOT should consider preserving the left turn movement of Torrence Chapel (TC), and instead eliminate the other left turn movements at that intersection. This would be similar to what will be occurring on the other side of the DDI at the US21/Catawba intersection when the “Bookend Projects” are completed. We know both US21 and Torrence Chapel are the dominate left turns as they are the only approaches that have 2 left turn lanes. NCDOT isn’t eliminating the US21 left turns – so why at TC? Also, there is no ability to increase the stacking for left turns from Catawba onto Liverpool. The lack of stacking results in routine blockage of one straight movement lane which clogs the DDI. If that South bound movement was re-routed North onto TC to the new roundabout to turn South, it would unblock that lane and increase the flow off the DDI resulting in much better efficiency! Please urge your current Town Commissioners to insist on this better flow for our Town residents and businesses.
Those of you indicating yes this would be a good idea clearly don’t live in this area. You are out of your mind. This is a horrible idea and huge NO! The traffic from the restaurants, the traffic from the shops on the green, the traffic from the Fresh Market Shopping area, the traffic from the people that live down Torrence Chapel, and the traffic from people who live in Blue Stone Harbor would all need to funnel down Knox onto One Norman? The infrastructure of that road is not designed for that much volume. As it is today… Sometimes it takes three or four cycles to get out of One Norman and onto Catawba. All of the areas and people mentioned above would literally be trapped during peak traffic time. No no no bad idea.
So the backup will continue and possibly worse, just in a different spot. We say “NO” to this request. Come on let us get more creative. How about entrance/exit ramps to the highway at exit 27. Build it they will use it.
Left turns should not be eliminated until a traffic circle is completed as originally planned. The effect on Knox Road would be overwhelming. We live off Torrence Chapel and I can only imagine how that would affect our travel times!