What about the southern part of I-485?

CHARLOTTE, N.C.-- Now that the plans are laid out for finishing I-485, commuters on the south side of town are asking, 'What about us?'

With Ballantyne booming, commuting on I-485 is a traffic nightmare.

"We obviously don't have enough lanes for this side of the city," says Ballantyne homeowner Karen Dickinson.

She adds, "Johnston and Ballantyne, its accidents every morning, people trying to get on the expressway.”

Everyone seems to come up with the same terms for describing their frustration with the southern stretch of I-485-- gridlock, bottlenecks, and trying to time your day around rush hour.

"We don't use it in the morning, cuz we can't get on at Ballantyne cuz it's such a great big long cue," says London transplant Michelle Ormerod.

As Governor Perdue announces the finishing touches are planned and budgeted for I-485, south loop drivers want to know-- do those plans include more lanes?

We asked State Transportation Secretery Gene Conti.

Conti says, "I know the city has funded the hot lane study, to look at where we might put higher occupancy lanes in that southern part of the loop."

That hot lane is commonly called the shoulder. "Which people are already driving on," says Charlotte City Councilman Edwin Peacock III.

He adds, "Just using the shoulder that's really desperation." Councilman Peacock points out I-485 is a state road, and there's no stopping the building boom.

 "There's always new neighborhoods," says Dickinson. "There's so many shopping plazas, they're popping up all over," adds Ormerod.

And there's no stopping the crush of drivers coming from I-77.

Peacock says, "Did they anticipate it? Yes, but had the road engineers thought about going from 8 lanes, I think to four is what we have there."

Omerod says there is a bright side.

When asked how the traffic compares to London she says, "oh no, there's no comparison, this is a walk in the park."

Since I-485 is a state roadway, Councilman Peacock suggests that Ballantyne residents and anyone else who uses that stretch of I-485 should call state representatives instead of the city.

Representative Becky Carney's office would be a good place to start because she is on the transportation committee. Her number is 919-733-5827.

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