TROUTMAN, N.C. -- “It feels like a race track every morning when I go to take my daughter to school.”
That is how Kristen Sigmon describes Perth Road, a rural two-lane road which runs parallel to I-77 in Troutman. The speed limit on the road is 45, but Sigmon says it’s often ignored despite several nearby schools-- including an elementary school.
In fact, it was Perth Road where NASCAR driver Kyle Busch was pulled over for driving more than 120 miles per hour. Busch, who claimed to be test-driving a new sports car, later apologized, but residents say they need more to be done.
“The average speed on this road needs to come down significantly,” says Sigmon.
To slow drivers down, NCDOT has proposed a roundabout at the intersection of Perth Road at Cornelius Road. NCDOT project manager Bryan Sowell says during the most recent 10-year study of that intersection, there have been 37 total crashes including two severe injury crashes and 15 other injury crashes.
Of the 37 total, there have been 31 frontal impact crashes-- including 20 angle crashes, nine left turn different roadway crashes, two left turn same roadway crashes, and six rear ends.
NCDOT says a roundabout would reduce both the number of crashes there and the severity.
“Roundabouts are a good treatment for intersections with an angle crash pattern in that all cars in the roundabout basically travel in the same direction. There are also less opportunities for crashes because of the reduced number of conflict points and slower speeds of cars as they navigate the roundabout. Traffic flow is also much better because the lower speeds allow greater gap opportunities,” says Sowell.
But residents like Sigmon say with a roundabout, the traffic at that intersection-- especially when school’s let out-- would be a nightmare.
“I don’t think it’s what we need, I really think we need a stoplight. The amount of traffic in this area, a roundabout just not seem like a safe solution,” says Sigmon.
Tuesday evening NCDOT officials held a public meeting at Troutman Town Hall where residents could drop-in to ask questions and share their concerns. If you were unable to make the meeting, you can contact Bryan Sowell at NCDOT.
