Hawthorne Lane Bridge Reopens To Vehicular Traffic After Over Three Years Of Construction

December 21, 2020

Caryn Little, Brittney Melton,

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The Latest (12/21/20):

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Hawthorne Lane Bridge has reopened to vehicular traffic. Pedestrians will continue to have access to the sidewalks on the north and south sides of the bridge. Bicyclists should use the bike lanes provided.

Future intermittent sidewalk and lane closures may be required accommodate lighting, handrail and pavement marking installation and other work.

CityLYNX Gold Line in-street vehicle testing is slated to begin in January 2021. Residents and businesses will be notified in advance. Construction activities will continue along the entire streetcar alignment, including Hawthorne Lane, until the project is completed in early 2021.

The Latest (8/19/20):

The City of Charlotte announced Wednesday that the Hawthorne Lane bridge is now officially open to pedestrians and bicyclists.

The bridge is an active construction area, so residents are advised to follow any instructional signage to ensure safety.

In the future, the sidewalk may temporarily close to accommodate repairs on the bridge deck, officials say. The community will be notified in advance of any sidewalk closures.

The Latest (5/21/20):

Due to weather, the third and final deck pour has been rescheduled to Tuesday, May 26th. Crews will be onsite by 12am to prepare for the pour, which will start between 2am and 3am.

Original Post:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Construction crews have started pouring concrete on the Hawthorne Lane bridge over Independence Boulevard after more than three years of construction.

The bridge work is part of the CityLYNX Gold Line Phase 2 project that will extend the current streetcar segment by 2.5 miles on the east and west ends of the line, according to officials with Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS).

Hawthorne Lane was closed in July 2017 and was only supposed to stay closed for 20 months. As of May 21, 2020, the street is still shut down. The city of Charlotte says the most recent delays have been caused by:

The contractor’s ability to acquire materials needed for industry standard field adjustments to the girders
The contractor’s ability to maintain work schedules that they submit to the City
Lane closure restrictions on U.S. 74 Independence Boulevard due to holidays, special events and inclement weather

The project is now expected to be completed by Fall 2020 and is anticipated to cost a total of $150 million (provided through a 50/50 federal match). The Phase 2 project will add eleven stops to the existing six, two which will be on Hawthorne Lane.

The final concrete deck pour is expected to take place on May 21st. More concrete pours (for the bridge sides, medians, and sidewalks) will take place in the coming weeks, according to CATS.

More details and FAQs on the Phase 2 project can be found HERE.

This is a rendering of the reconstructed Hawthorne bridge.