News & Media

$249M Project Kicks Off To Widen NC 150, Easing Congestion In Mooresville

Construction on the North Carolina 150 widening project in Catawba and Iredell counties is scheduled to begin the week of February 10th, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

The first phase of the project is a six-mile stretch that begins near Greenwood Road in Terrell, near the Marshall Steam Station, and into Mooresville. Crews will begin working Monday night between U.S. 21 and Morrison Plantation Parkway in Mooresville, with overnight lane closures expected.

 The project will widen 150 from four to six lanes between Greenwood Road and U.S. 21, building new bridges over Interstate 77 and a new bridge over Lake Norman near the Catawba-Iredell county line. Crews will also install improved drainage infrastructure as part of the road upgrades.

WCNC Charlotte spoke with residents who agree there needs to be a change, but some have concerns about the time it will take to complete the project and the traffic getting worse during construction.

“I’m a fifth-generation Mooresvillian. I’ve lived here for all my life,” said Haleigh Elledge. “Just in the past like 10 years, the traffic has been awful. The county or the town I believe isn’t sustainable for this many people, and so I do believe it’s time that maybe we stop building apartments.”

The NCDOT website says the full project should be done by 2030. By then, Elledge and her family might not be there. She says she’s considering a move, largely due to the suburb’s rapid growth.

“I’m thinking about it, honestly. I’m thinking about moving further out of town,” Elledge said. “Just to get away from all of this.”

NCDOT plans to install reduced conflict intersections as part of the project. These intersections are designed to reduce the number of conflict points between vehicles, eliminating left turns from side roads to main arteries, and directing traffic to turn right before making a U-turn. These intersections have been added to other major highways in the state, including U.S. 74 in Union County and North Carolina 73 in Concord.

The biggest change will be at the intersection of 150 and Williamson/Bluefield roads, one of the most jammed-up spots in Mooresville. NCDOT plans to install a continuous flow intersection, which improves traffic movement by allowing left turns and through movements at the same time. This intersection will prevent bottlenecks for drivers turning onto Williamson Road from 150.
NCDOT hired contractor Blythe Development for the massive $249 million project. In total, the project will impact around 15 miles of 150 from the North Carolina 16 Bypass in Denver to U.S. 21 in Mooresville. The area is often jammed with traffic, especially west of I-77 where the road narrows to just one lane each way outside Mooresville.