Roadways In Concord, North Carolina

Concord is located in Cabarrus County in south-central North Carolina, approximately 20 miles northeast of downtown Charlotte. As of 2022, the population of Concord was estimated to be 102,195, making it the second largest city in the Charlotte metropolitan area.

Concord is served by an extensive network of roadways that facilitates transportation throughout the city as well as connections to other parts of Cabarrus County, the Charlotte region, and beyond. Key components of Concord’s road system include:

Major Highways and Expressways

• I-85: Runs southwest-northeast through Cabarrus County, connecting Concord to Charlotte and Greensboro/the Piedmont Triad region. I-85 has three exits that provide direct access to Concord.
• I-485 Outer Beltway: Orbital highway encircling Charlotte metro area, including northeastern segment bordering Concord near Charlotte Motor Speedway.
• US-29: North-south highway that runs through eastern Concord. Connects to Charlotte and the University City/Northlake areas.
• US-601: North-south route that merges with US-29 in southern Concord near Carteret County.
• NC-3: Primary north-south highway through western Concord, linking to Kannapolis and error.
• NC-73: East-west route extending from Concord across western Cabarrus County.

Main Arterial Roads and Thoroughfares

Some of the primary arterial roads and major thoroughfares in Concord that facilitate transportation across the city include:

• Concord Parkway: Primary east-west route across the middle of Concord, including interchange with I-85.
• George W. Liles Parkway: East-west arterial with interchanges at both I-85 and US-29.
• Poplar Tent Road: Heavily-traveled north-south route through western Concord.
• Warren C. Coleman Boulevard: North-south arterial roadway through eastern Concord.
• Zachary Road: Diagonal road starting in northeast Concord and running south/southwest.
• Old Charlotte Road: East-west route parallel to NC-73 in western/northwestern Concord.

Numerous other multi-lane roads such as Branchview Drive, Davidson Highway, and Coddle Creek Highway also facilitate efficient transportation throughout the area.

History of Concord’s Streets and Roadways

As one of North Carolina’s early colonial towns and former county seat, Concord has a long history of transportation and infrastructure development:

• 1747: King George II of England granted a petition to establish a 100-acre township centered around what would become downtown Concord. This included basic dirt roadways as the community developed.
• Early 1800s: Roads connecting Concord to Charlotte, Salisbury, Hillsborough and other local towns are improved to better facilitate trade and commerce.
• 1820s-1850s: Additional roads linking Concord to outlying rural areas see upgrades and further development. Plank roads become more common through the mid-1800s.
• Late 1800s: Improved roadbuilding techniques lead to paving more heavily-used streets downtown plus key routes to Charlotte and Mt. Pleasant.
• Early 1900s: Automobile ownership begins taking off, leading to calls for better roads in and around Concord to adapt to increasing traffic.
• 1930s-1950s: The establishment of Camp Sutton (1942-1945) leads to upgrades to various roads between Concord and Charlotte to accommodate military traffic.
• 1960s-1980s: Ongoing enhancements to roads connecting Concord to I-85, including infrastructure supporting suburban growth and development.
• Modern day: Concord now has over 1,000 lane miles of public roadways managed by NCDOT and the city. Traffic continues increasing, spurring calls for more transportation investment.

Major Intersections and Roundabouts

As a mid-sized city with a diversity of local and through traffic, Concord has a variety of major intersections and roundabouts that keep vehicles moving:

Key Intersections

• I-85 and Concord Parkway (Exits 49 & 51): High-volume interchange connecting drivers to Charlotte and points southwest via I-85 or routing traffic into central Concord via the Parkway.
• US-29 and Warren C. Coleman Blvd: Heavily-used intersection where two arterial roads meet in eastern Concord.
• Kerr Street and Union Street (downtown): Central downtown crossing where Kerr St merges into Union St. Busy pedestrian area.
• US-29 and George W Liles Pkwy/Old Charlotte Rd: Key intersection where north-south and east-west thoroughfares meet in northeast Concord.
• Poplar Tent Rd and Branchview Dr: Intersection where two major crosstown roads meet. Links western and eastern parts of the city.

Roundabouts

As alternatives to traditional intersections, roundabouts promote traffic flow while eliminating left turns across oncoming lanes. Major Concord roundabouts include:

• George W. Liles Pkwy and International Drive: Multi-lane roundabout near Charlotte Motor Speedway and Concord Regional Airport.
• Warren C. Coleman Blvd and Union Cemetery Rd: Eastern Concord roundabout facilitating traffic near shoulder of downtown.
• Kannapolis Parkway and Winecoff School Rd: Western Concord roundabout joining multi-lane roads.
• Flowes Store Rd and Weddington Rd: Northern Concord roundabout connecting traffic from suburban areas.

Roundabouts can require getting used to for drivers, but are designed to minimize collisions while keeping vehicles moving.

Major Bridges and Viaducts

Spanning creeks, rivers, and other roads, Concord has a number of significant bridges and viaducts as part of its transportation framework:

Bridges

• Poplar Tent Rd Bridge over Irish Buffalo Creek: Crosses the creek connecting western and eastern sections of Poplar Tent Rd.
• International Drive over Goose Creek: Bridge provides access to Charlotte Motor Speedway complex over creek.
• Warren C. Coleman Blvd Bridge over Rocky River: Channels traffic on major east-west route over river in northeast Concord.
• McGill Ave/Old Charlotte Rd Bridge over Rocky River: Adjacent bridges conveying north-south traffic over river in northwest Concord.
• Pitts School Rd Bridge over Rocky River: Connects Pitts School Rd across river between Cabarrus Country Club and neighborhoods to the south.

Viaducts

• Union St Viaduct: Historic downtown arched stone bridge conveys Union St traffic over railroad tracks. Also known as the McGill Avenue Viaduct.
• Old Charlotte Rd Viaduct: Long bridge carries Old Charlotte Rd over railroad yard west of downtown.
• International Drive Viaduct: Modern bridge takes International Dr over Route 3 near Charlotte Motor Speedway.

These bridges and viaducts allow Concord’s roadways to crisscross geographical obstacles while maintaining critical transportation links.

Traffic Volumes and Congestion Issues

With continued suburban expansion plus growing links to Charlotte’s economy, various Concord roadways are handling heavy traffic volumes:

• I-85 at Concord Parkway: 180,000 vehicles/day on busiest stretch through Cabarrus County. Highest freight volumes in region.
• Poplar Tent Rd north of I-85: 48,000 vehicles/day. Heaviest-traveled local route across much of the city.
• George W. Liles Pkwy: Up to 44,000 vehicles/day in busy sections around northeast quadrant.
• US-29 south of downtown: 36,000 vehicles/day conveying north-south traffic on major regional artery.
• Warren C. Coleman Blvd: Around 20,000 vehicles/day in eastern areas approaching US-29 interchange.
• Old Charlotte Rd: 18,000 vehicles/day carrying traffic parallel to I-85 northwest of downtown.

While a boon for economic growth, such volumes lead to congestion issues:

• I-85 during rush hour: Frequent bottlenecks at interchanges 49, 51, and 53. Lane expansion helps but congestion persists.
• US-29 corridor: Congestion through northeast Concord has worsened, especially during peak periods. Impacts businesses along route.
• Poplar Tent Rd and Derita Rd: Traffic headaches where crosstown routes meet west of downtown. Leads to spillover congestion on local roads during peak times.

Continued infrastructure upgrades will be needed to keep pace with Concord’s growth and development patterns in years to come.

Public Transit Options

While most Concord residents rely on private vehicles for transportation, public transit is also available via:

Concord/Kannapolis Area Transit (Rider)

The Rider transit system operates buses on nearly 20 routes serving Concord, Kannapolis, Harrisburg and other areas of Cabarrus County. Buses run daily except Sundays. Fares and passes available. Major Rider routes through Concord include:

• North Concord: Links downtown to developments along US-29 towards Charlotte Motor Speedway and the University City area.
• West Concord: Connects downtown to retail destinations and neighborhoods along Poplar Tent Rd and Route 3.
• East Concord: Provides transportation to suburban growth zones around George W. Liles Pkwy and Warren C. Coleman Blvd.
• South Concord: Conveys passengers towards southern destinations such as parochial schools and manufacturing centers along Church St South and Carolina Ave.

In addition to fixed routes, Rider offers complimentary ADA paratransit van service for qualifying passengers unable to utilize standard buses.

Amtrak

While not located directly in Concord, Amtrak’s Crescent line does have a station in nearby Kannapolis. The Crescent links Charlotte to major cities like New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Atlanta along its 1,377 mile route.

Walkability and Bikeability

In addition to motorized transportation options, Concord does feature infrastructure supporting more active means of getting around:

Pedestrian Activity

Concord’s historical downtown area centered along Union St features wide sidewalks, street trees, benches, and pedestrian infrastructure suited for local shopping and dining. Recent improvements have enhanced walkability:

• Streetscaping projects: New lighting, paver extensions, and landscaping developed along portions of Union St, Kerr St and Corban Ave.
• ADA upgrades: Handicap ramps, crosswalk signals and other accessibility upgrades around downtown.
• Origins Greenway trailhead: Trailhead near Cabarrus Arena and Events Center links to walking paths and nature trails throughout the county.

Elsewhere in Concord, subdivisions feature sidewalks while some major roads have intermittent pedestrian access along shoulders or in easements. Continuing to improve walkability is an area of emphasis in the city’s planning processes.

Biking Activity

While sidewalk coverage facilitates pedestrian mobility downtown, on-street painted bike lanes, sharrow markings and off-road trails provide infrastructure for Concord cycling activity:

• McGill Ave bike lanes: Sections of McGill Ave feature painted on-street bike lanes in areas connecting downtown to Gibson Mill Rd.
• Spring St bike route: Non-delineated signed shared bike route directs riders along low-traffic Spring St near downtown.
• Scott Ave bike route signage: Signed shared route guides cyclists to destinations like Jay M. Robinson High School.
• ** Walter M. Safrit Greenway:** Nearly 2 mile off-road trail runs along Rocky River connecting Cabarrus Country Club south towards Robbins Park.

The city’s recent Bicycle Master Plan calls for adding 35+ more miles of on-street bike lanes, off-road trails and marked shared routes over the next decade to further boost bikeability.

Railroads and Freight Infrastructure

In addition to its network of roads and highways, Concord’s economy depends heavily on freight rail infrastructure crossing through the city:

Class 1 Railroads Operating in Concord

• Norfolk Southern Railway
• CSX Transportation

Rail Yards and Intermodal Facilities

Concord is home to major railroad operations centers, including:

• Pinoca Yard: Large Norfolk Southern rail yard west of downtown where freight cars are sorted and trains are built.
• Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility: Recently opened expanded CSX intermodal container terminal located near Charlotte Motor Speedway and Concord Regional Airport. Major rail-truck transport center for the region.

Notable Rail Infrastructure

Other significant railroad assets supporting freight transport within Concord’s city limits include:

• McGill Ave Viaduct: Historic arched stone bridge conveying Union St over active Norfolk Southern tracks leading into Pinoca Yard.
• Derita Yard Office Control Tower: Iconic mid-20th century rail control tower guiding train movements through convergence of lines between Harrisburg and Charlotte.
• Assembly Yard diesel shop: Locomotive repair and rebuilding facility serving Norfolk Southern operations in region.
• Rolling stock repair in Bruton Smith Blvd yard: Rail repair facility supporting freight car maintenance and inspections.

Traffic Safety Issues and Improvement Initiatives

While transportation enables mobility and connects Concord’s economy, travel also presents safety challenges that the city continuously works to address.

Crash Data

According to NCDOT data, significant traffic safety trouble spots based on crash history include:

• I-85 exit 53 interchange at Poplar Tent Rd: Highest number of accidents of any I-85/Concord interchange. High speed differentials between traffic lanes contributes to sideswipes and rear end crashes.
• Poplar Tent Rd and Derita Rd intersection: Angle crashes common at offset intersection of major crosstown routes west of downtown during congested periods.
• US-29 corridor through northeast Concord: Multiple intersections along stretch from Pitts School Rd to the Rowan County line see high incidence rates of turning movement and crossing collisions as traffic volumes increase.

Infrastructure Improvements

Upgrades targeting areas with pattern crashes include:

• I-85 Exit 53 interchange: Reconfigured acceleration/deceleration lanes plus additional signage aim to improve merging.
• Poplar Tent Rd & Derita Rd: Pole-mounted flashing beacons alert side-street drivers to use extra caution.
• US-29 & Bruton Smith Blvd: New pedestrian crossing signals and timers installed to improve safety for those on foot.

Public Education

Concord also partners with NCDOT in promoting safe driving awareness:

• Watch for Me NC pedestrian/bicycle safety campaign: Uses signs and media to urge extra caution around people walking or biking.
• Booze It & Lose It: Crackdowns and publicity efforts discourage driving while impaired.

Continuing to enhance road safety through engineering solutions and public engagement remains an important area of emphasis for Concord.

The Future of Transportation in Concord

While Concord has seen remarkable transportation progress over 275 years, the city’s network of roadways, bridges, and rail lines will need to continually modernize to match future development:

Planning for Growth

With projections showing Concord adding 25,000+ more residents by 2040 based on current growth rates, infrastructure scaling will be critical. Key initiatives include:

• I-85 lane expansion: Widening certain stretches through Cabarrus County to boost freeway capacity.
• US-29 enhancements: Interchange upgrades and potential express lanes to improve flow along congested corridor.
• Added east-west connectivity: Extending roads like McCachern Blvd across US-29 to open access to development zones in eastern Concord.

New Projects

Proposals under consideration to meet future mobility needs include:

• I-85/US-601 connector: Direct freeway link proposed from I-85 south towards US-601 could spur development.
• North-south tollway corridor: Privately funded toll route following NC-3 corridor could alleviate congestion if usage materializes.
• Mass transit options: Bus rapid transit along dedicated routes, plus potential for commuter rail to Charlotte, remain under discussion pending funding availability.

By proactively addressing transportation needs before growth strains road capacity further, Concord can maintain mobility for all modes of travel despite projected population increases on the horizon.