Will Town of Davidson let Cornelius design southern entrance to our town?

Tuesday's Town of Davidson Board agenda is pretty light, but the one significant item on it could have long-term impacts to what one sees when entering Davidson on NC 115 from Cornelius.

As long-time readers are likely aware, the I77 toll project came along with some money municipalities are using for various smaller projects.  In Davidson, that "bonus allocation" is paying for the new roundabouts at the I77 overpass as well as part of the Potts/Sloan/Beaty connector project.  Here is an earlier story on that.  Bonus money is also paying for the intersection work being planned for the NC115/Potts intersection on the Cornelius side of the municipal boundary heading into Davidson.

As part of U-5873 Cornelius and NCDOT have been planning a roundabout for this intersection.  It's a big roundabout at that, larger than the ones at Circles@30 in Davidson.  As part of the planned project the roadway will be realigned as well to allow for a 10' multi-use path (aka "Big Fat Sidewalk") under the railroad trestle.  This realignment is where things get ugly.

Neighbors impacted by this approach have been quietly pushing the Town of Davidson to forcefully ask that any plan seek to minimize the impact to properties on the Davidson side of the municipal boundary.  That's what the resolution on the agenda as the sole major item of business for Tuesday's Board meeting is all about.  However, while this resolution does ask for some items that could marginally mitigate the impact, it doesn't ask for a plan that eliminates the biggest problem.  That would be the road realignment.  Per John Burgess, one of the homeowners most impacted by the proposed plan, that's the only thing that can truly make a difference.

Per an email from Burgess:

"This resolution is very disappointing and is actually my worst fear.  The plan and resolution show them narrowing the impact to the properties by 5', lessening the encroachment from 50' to 45'.  All the trees and significant features are gone. Item 1 of the resolution asks for the design to be modified to minimize impact, but the minimum impact is to have no realignment of the road. The resolution and accompanying map do nothing to modify the road alignment, and in fact, the drawing conceals the road realignment."

To Burgess's points, take a look at the below pictures.  The first two are from a February presentation to Davidson.  Doesn't look too bad, does it?  Though it is kind of hard to tell in just conceptualized drawings.

Now, take a look at these pictures supplied by Mr Burgess to see just some of the actual impact.

Quite a difference picturing all those trees gone, isn't it?  If this project goes through with the road realignment in place it will forever change the picturesque nature of this entrance to Davidson.  If you were appalled by the tree carnage at Exit 30 to accommodate the roundabouts there, this could arguably be worse.  Ironically, both are being paid for with I77 toll lane project money.

Now take a look at the picture of the project after the proposed changes in the resolution as it stands as of this writing.

The proposed changes keep the road realignment.  They just move the impact a few feet.  The resolution does ask for the stone wall to be rebuilt and for the Town sign to be moved, but that's little comfort for what will still likely be lost.

And why is this being done?  Why is private property being infringed?  Why are more trees being cut down? Why is this entrance to town being changed this way?

In a March email to elected officials and others Cornelius Planning Director, Wayne Herron, wrote the following to justify the plan that requires a road realignment:

"First, was the improved safety and access for patrons to the YMCA, which include residents of both Cornelius and Davidson. The roundabout will accommodate the additional traffic from the Potts-Beatty-Sloan Connector and was shown to be the safest and most efficient option for now and into the future."

Really?  Access to the YMCA?!?!  Access to the Y could be greatly improved by simply opening up Church Street as a second entrance into the other side of the Y property.  It's a simple solution that's been available for years. Why didn't Cornelius propose that as part of a plan that could have possibly had a smaller roundabout?  While simple, that solution is also a hot potato political topic in Corelius that nobody wants to deal with.  That's why.

In the March email, Herron goes on to say (emphasis added)...

"Second, the Town of Davidson has a downtown to be proud of. It is an attraction for Cornelius residents to enjoy with excellent dining, activities and all around beauty. Our citizens have expressed the desire to be able to walk and bicycle to downtown Davidson along NC115 and allowing for bike/ped traffic in both directions between both Towns. So, our citizen stakeholder committee has recommended 10’ multi-use paths along NC 115 up to the Cornelius Town limits. Our citizens prefer the 10’ multi use path for safety in order to allow both pedestrians and bicycles to safely coexist and move about from point to point. NCDOT did explain early in the project planning, that it would necessitate a realignment of NC 115 on the Cornelius side in order to achieve this additional cross section under the train trestle to accommodate the 10’ multi-use path. Our citizens are excited about the opportunity to connect our Towns and overjoyed about the potential to get to downtown Davidson by way of NC 115, safely under the trestle."

All those things are true about Davidson and very neighborly to say, but does anyone really believe large numbers of Cornelius residents will actually be biking down 115 on this 10' sidewalk for dinner at Kindred?  Will they suddenly be walking in throngs to get a custard at Whit's?  Maybe they'll be towing little red wagons to the Davidson Farmers Market on Saturdays?

No, of course those things won't happen.  Statements like that don't pass the smell test.  They don't meet the test of common sense.

So, while it may be neighborly for Cornelius to think highly of Davidson's downtown, it is not all that neighborly to push a plan that irreparably harms the look and feel of the entrance to that very same downtown.

As the highlighted portions above clearly show, Cornelius is looking out for the interests of its residents.  It's time for Davidson's Board to do the same and pass a resolution on Tuesday that does more than just nibble around the edges of the problem.  Davidson Commissioners need to pass a resolution on Tuesday that clearly asks NCDOT find a solution that doesn't involve realigning the road and messing with the look and feel of this entrance to our town.