CHARLOTTE — A new, innovative intersection design for a local project has earned national recognition by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) at its 2021 Virtual Engineering Excellence Awards gala, held June 17.
The continuous flow intersection (CFI) at N.C. 16/Brookshire Boulevard and Mount Holly-Huntersville Road, a first for North Carolina, received a National Recognition Award at the gala, considered “the Academy Awards of the engineering industry.” The project also took the top prize, the Grand Conceptor Award, at the ACEC/NC Engineering Excellence Awards in November 2020.
The knowledge of future development in this part of Charlotte required an intersection design to accommodate increasing traffic volumes in the coming years. The Department’s Congestion Management Unit recommended implementing the CFI to support approximately 83,000 vehicles that go through the intersection daily.
“We’re excited to have the state’s first intersection of this kind in Charlotte,” said Division 10 Engineer Brett Canipe. “As drivers continue getting accustomed to this new design, we look forward to improved safety and more efficient travel times that will accommodate the expected growth in this area.”
The design shifts traffic into two stages, so vehicles cross N.C. 16 several hundred feet before making a left turn at the intersection. This increases the intersection’s efficiency by up to 70 percent.
Drivers started using the new traffic pattern in late 2019, with the project achieving substantial completion in spring 2020.
The award recognized engineering firm Stantec’s work with the N.C. Department of Transportation on the project, based on criteria like complexity, degree of innovation, value and achievement. Projects were rated for uniqueness, innovative applications, future value to the engineering profession, perception by the public, social, economic, and sustainable development considerations, and successful fulfillment of client/owner’s needs.
This project stands to serve as a case study for communities across the state, once the CFI is proven to be a successful alternative to traditional intersections in North Carolina. More information about this type of intersection can be found by going to the NCDOT website and searching for CFI.