Independence Blvd and Sharon Amity Road Interchange
The recent opening of the final section of the interstate 485 loop around Charlotte after almost 30 years of construction brings to mind other long-term road projects in Charlotte region. In east Charlotte, we’ve been contending with the impacts of the widening of Independence Boulevard for decades.
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The North Carolina Department of Transportation is widening Independence Boulevard (U.S. 74) to a median-divided, eight-lane roadway from Albemarle Road (N.C. 27) to Wallace Lane. Interchanges will be constructed at Sharon Amity Road and Idlewild Road. The project will include the construction of a bridge to carry Conference Drive over Independence Boulevard and extend Conference Drive northward to Idlewild Road, as well as the extension of the existing CATS busway, and safety improvements. Existing signals at Sharon Amity Road, Idlewild Road and Conference Drive will be removed. The project will also include accommodations for future transit service. The proposed project is about 1.6 miles long.