MATTHEWS, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Matthews leaders are saying no to the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s plan to widen East John Street in downtown.
The road runs through the middle of Matthews’ historic downtown. It’s an area that’s seen a lot of change in the past few years, and recently, a lot of bumper-to-bumper traffic.
“We’ve got to do something,” said David Blackley, owner of Renfrow’s Hardware & General Merchandise.
People driving through downtown Matthews are used to seeing backups.
“Where it should only take me five minutes to get to work, it can take me 15-to-20 minutes to get to work,” said Kelly Stivers, who works downtown.
Those who frequent in the area said it’s getting worse by the day.
“I see people getting pretty upset with the traffic congestion,” said Stivers. “I see the lack of being able to park, being able to get out of parking spots. It does affect the businesses in the area because people can’t find parking.”
One of those businesses is Renfrow’s Hardware & General Merchandise on Trade Street.
“There’s really not a very good route around the downtown,” said Blackley. “If there’s a wreck or a train stopped on the tracks or something, it’s a bottleneck.”
Blackley has been living and working in the area for decades.
“When I grew up, you could roll pennies across the street here in town, so it’s changed a lot over the years,” he said.
One change state transportation leaders want to make is widening East John Street to four lanes. Matthews town leaders are against it.
“Our historic downtown core is just not built to accommodate a four-lane highway going through the middle of it,” said Mayor John Higdon.
With how many people walk in the area, Higdon and members of the town council think a better option would be a three-lane roadway with improved sidewalks, medians and turn lanes.
“We have thousands of pedestrians that cross this corridor every week,” said the mayor.
The problem is NCDOT won’t be able to fund the alternative version of the project. Officials are helping the town council apply for a $25 million grant, but it could take multiple cycles to get approved, meaning years before drivers see any relief.
Another section of John Street is already is the middle of a widening project on the other side of Interstate 485, stretching into Union County.
“I just think that it would be good to have the widening because it would help with the congestion in the area,” said Stivers. “There’s a lot of traffic all the time and, especially in this downtown area, it’s hard to get around. You should be able to get around easily.”
If town leaders get the grant, it requires a 20 percent match, which the mayor tells me the town council would be able to handle.
