Overview

The widening of NC 73 from NC 16 in Lincoln County to US 29 in Cabarras County is an NCDOT project that has been ranked and funded through the NCDOT State Transportation Improvement Program (i.e., STIP/TIP).

R-5721

The N.C. Department of Transportation proposes widening an 8.5-mile stretch of N.C. 73 – from N.C. 16 in Lincoln County to Northcross Drive in Huntersville – to accommodate future growth.

N.C. 73 is a regionally important east-west route, being the only Catawba River crossing between N.C. 150 and N.C. 16.

Without improvements, traffic on N.C. 73, by 2040, is projected to increase:

• 35 percent (approximately 23,900 to 45,000 vehicles per day) between N.C. 16 and West Catawba Avenue 
• 60 percent (55,000 to 60,000 vehicles per day) between West Catawba Avenue and Northcross Drive

U-5765

This project is for the N.C. 73 stretch between West Catawba Avenue and Northcross Drive.

R-2632

Planning and design are underway to widen a 14-mile stretch of N.C. 73 from two to four lanes between N.C. 115 (Old Statesville Road) in Mecklenburg and U.S. 29 (Concord Parkway North) in Cabarrus county.