Union County, NC

History of the Critical Intersection Program 

The Critical Intersection Program is Union County's focus on where to direct local funding for intersection projects. This program started in 2015 when Union County, in coordination with the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO), the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and its municipalities, developed the 2016 Critical Intersection Analysis. This report identified 15 intersections throughout the county that were ideal candidates for capital improvements due to a combination of safety and congestion issues. The intent was for the County, municipalities, and NCDOT to use this prioritization and supporting information to apply for grants to fund improvements. This process worked well, with multiple intersections funded for improvements. 

Based on this success, Union County embarked on an update to identify a second group of 15 intersections, referred to as the 2019 Critical Intersection Analysis. Based on this work, Union County applied for two design grants through CRTPO to develop preferred designs and cost estimates for 11 of the 15 intersections. You can review the results for the first and second design grants, as well as an interactive map of the locations of funded intersection projects. 

In September 2023, the Union County Board of Commissioners approved the third Critical Intersection Analysis. You can read the report or view an interactive slide show of the process and recommended list. Thank you to the nearly 3,000 Union County residents who provided their input in April and May 2023 for the most recent Critical Intersection Analysis. The input helped Union County identify and prioritize intersection locations for improvement. View an interactive map of the nearly 10,000 individual pieces of input we received. 

For more information, please contact Bjorn Hansen at 704-283-3690 or bjorn.hansen@unioncountync.gov.