New Construction Plans Could Change How You Drive Around Mount Airy!

There are some new construction plans for updates to U.S 601 and these new plans are sending Mount Airy locals into a whirl. Many people are excited for the changes while others are happy with the current status and are dreading the effects the construction will have on their commute. U.S 601 is one of the most popular roads in Mount Airy; thus, it is also one of the most popular roads for unfortunate vehicle collisions. Officials have reported that this local street has nearly twice the state average for accidents, even though it is only a half-mile stretch on Rockford Street. In the last four years, more than 240 accidents have been reported on this street. Three of these reported accidents where fatal and three where pedestrian-related. This is incredibly sad to hear and as a result, Mount Airy has decided to do something to fix this. Mount Airy is determined to make roads safer and to give families peace of mind. 

Take a glance the new plan, which includes: 

·         A median replacing half the turn lane

·         No left turns

·         Better intersection with a more efficient flow of traffic

·         A pedestrian cross walk

The proposed solution is quite a big jump, coming in at a $6 million dollar construction project to help create a safer driving space. The current plan is to create a concrete median in between each road to replace part of the turn lane. This is to help reduce the potential for collisions, mainly when it comes to side-impact accidents. There are also plans decrease the opportunity for T-bone and head-on collisions. The plans call for the redesigning of turns at the intersection so that cars would be unable to make left turns when entering U.S 601. In addition, there would be sidewalks added for pedestrian crossing.

This new construction plan will help save lives but in turn it will make the drive a bit more tedious. Drivers will have to turn right and then later make a U-turn at the appropriate stop. Overall, the plan seems to be the best way to protect our community here in Mount Airy, North Carolina.