US 321 Road Widening

Fast Facts

Project # U-4700 (and U-4700A)
Type: Road Widening
Affected Counties: Catawba, Caldwell, Burke
Estimated Cost: $288.3 million

NCDOT TIP # U-4700 Project Description

Under NCDOT Project # U-4700, the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) plans to widen a 13.9-mile corridor of US 321 to a six-lane median-divided superstreet. Road widening construction will occur from north of the US 70 interchange in Hickory to the Southwest Boulevard interchange in Lenoir. Other towns along the path of construction include Granite Falls, Sawmills, and Hudson.

Widening is deemed necessary due to current traffic congestion, which is projected to become much worse over the next 20 years as area travel and population increase.

Because The NCDOT has determined that the superstreet street concept helps increase time savings for drivers, improve safety, decrease congestion, and works particularly well on heavily traveled routes, such as US 321, this concept was chosen as the new street design. Superstreets redirect side-street traffic, which can help reduce accidents caused by traffic traveling straight through or turning left at a divided highway. To enter a superstreet from a side street or driveway, traffic must turn right, and then make a U-turn if the desired direction was left.

Additionally, four interchanges or interchange conversions are planned for:

13^th Street SW
Clement Boulevard/Old Lenoir Road
Grace Chapel Road
Falls Avenue

The entire 13.9-mile NCDOT Project (U-4700) will be built in four phases:

Section A – 4.6 miles from US 70 to US 321 Alternate (see below for Section A details)
Section B – 5.6 miles from US 321 Alternate to Mission Road
Section C – 3.7 miles from Mission Road to Southwest Boulevard
Section CA – US 321/Mount Herman Road intersection

Map of U-4700 (Includes Section A,B, C, CA)

U-4700A Project Description

Project Type: Road widening (superstreet design)
Affected County: Catawba
Estimated Cost: $145,700,000

Section A will affect a 4.6-mile stretch of US 321 from US 70 to US 321 Alternate and will include a new interchange at Grace Chapel Road.

Schedule U-4700A

Right-of-way acquisition – 2017
Start Construction – 2021

Property Takings U-4700A

More than 100 parcels of land will be affected by Section A (U-4700A) construction. Currently the NCDOT has set aside approximately $45,000,000 for right-of-way takings. If your property will be affected, contact one of our attorneys (four of whom previously worked on behalf of the NCDOT) for a free case evaluation.

Get a free case
evaluation today.

There are only a handful of attorneys in NC who practice eminent domain exclusively, and even fewer with NCDOT experience. We have several. That’s why its worth getting in touch with us for a free case evaluation.

Here’s how it works:

1) Tell us about your situation.

2) We research your property as needed, using DOT maps, our own technology, and experience to see the exact effects.

3) We let you know what we think a fair offer would be. This evaluation is free, and there’s no
pressure or obligation to hire us after.

But please don’t wait to act. Waiting can hurt your case, and the cost is the same: free.

1-877-393-4990

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