Construction has started on bus lanes on Independence Boulevard in Charlotte, N.C., thanks to a $1.37 million contract the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) awarded to Albemarle contractor NJR Group, Inc., in December 2023. NJR Group will work for 75 consecutive calendar days to complete the work, with most of the work being done behind existing barrier walls. The city of Charlotte is funding the project and NCDOT is providing project oversight.
NCDOT notes that when the city of Charlotte built the Hawthorne Lane bridge several years ago, the structure's center pier was relocated approximately seven feet into the eastbound bus lane to maximize space under the bridge for future express lanes and light rail in the area.
Since future express lanes are still several years away, NCDOT has been working with Charlotte Area Transit System to assess what modifications are needed to make the bus lanes usable, determining the existing eastbound bus lane opening must be relocated closer to the interchange with the John Belk/Brookshire Freeways.
