GRANITE FALLS, NC (November 17, 2017)…We recently ran a poll for seven days asking if there should be an interchange at MDI or Walmart on US 321. The current plans by the NCDOT are to place an interchange at MDI.
According to the NCDOT, there is approximately SEVEN TIMES the traffic at Walmart compared to MDI. And, if River Bend Drive/New Farm Road is developed in the future, there will be even more traffic at Walmart.
Since it was established that both New Farm Road and Alex Lee Blvd. were indeed capable of handling heavy truck traffic, the need for an interchange at MDI for truck traffic is less important now as there are multiple options for MDI truck traffic.
Placing an interchange at Walmart instead of MDI just makes more sense for the future in regards to development, traffic flow and safety. Easy and safe access should attract more business in this area. Motorists traveling north or south will not have to stop for a traffic light keeping traffic moving efficiently. As far as safety goes, the possibility of a “T-bone” type accident would virtually be eliminated (as vehicles would not have to make a “U-turn”). Currently there is one traffic light at Walmart and with the proposed superstreet intersection, there will be three traffic lights…greatly increasing the chance for vehicles to “run a red light” which is extremely dangerous.
An interchange is a grade-separated intersection (one road passes over another) with ramps to connect them.
Here are the results and they show an overwhelming desire for an interchange at Walmart:
MDI 12 10.3 %
Walmart 105 89.7 %
