HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Bobby Carter peers out of the window of his Blink on Two Photography Studio, which sits on Main street.
“Part of the frustration of the project is the time it’s taking,” Carter said about the massive construction equipment and workers that have been outside his shop working on street project that town leaders hope will revitalize its downtown area. “It could be like Davidson or Cornelius when it’s done.”
Huntersville has started a multi-million-dollar project that is expected to bring more homes, retail and other business to its downtown. The first part being redevelopment of part of main street which will include wider streets and some electricity being buried underground.
RELATED: RAMP CLT program could disperse more funds to help with rent, mortgage payments for citizens in need
According to Huntersville, the project will create a mile-long traffic alternative to N.C. 115 through the downtown area of Huntersville. Roundabouts near the Main Street/N.C. 115 intersection to the north and the Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road intersection to the south will be the bookends for the transportation network upgrade, which based on various accounts from current and past town staffers and elected officials has been a concept in consideration since the 1990s when it was referred to as the “two-pair."
Completion of the project could take anyway from 12 months to two years to complete and that has some business owners like Carter concerned. He said he has seen a dip in his business since the construction began. Carter said his business has suffered a bit since the project began, but he is looking forward to when Main Street is finished.
“We are hoping that people will notice us, but there’s not a lot of foot traffic right now," he said.
This is part of the balancing act that town leaders must make when planning projects such as this. The future of more business and growth is great for cities that understand that expansion is good for their future but could adversely affect those who are already there.
“A little of bit of inconvenience for this project now, but in the long term will mean fewer delays for people who come through here," Kevin Fox the Huntersville Town Engineer said. “This project will spur some development and get some more commercial growth in our downtown area."
But Carter, who lives in Huntersville, and all the other businesses along Main Street said they can only hope and wait
“It’s going to be great for everyone, just hoping it doesn’t take too long," he said.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.