Business owners concerned about loss of business when Monroe bypass opens

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By Liz Foster

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Construction on U.S. 74 has been hard for drivers adjusting to new traffic patterns.

“[Not being able to turn left] takes at least 10 more minutes in order to make a U-turn to that area, so that’s ridiculous,” one driver told Eyewitness News anchor Liz Foster.

[ [LINK: U.S. 74 business survey] ]

Construction has been hard on businesses, too.

“You could see the sales going down,” said Julie Bosworth, owner of Well Worth It in Indian Trail.

Bosworth said her sales are down about 25 percent since construction started.

She fears it may get worse when the Monroe bypass opens later this year.

“If people aren’t coming down this way because they’re going the faster route, I can understand that would affect our business,” Bosworth said.

Because of concerns from business owners, Union County is getting feedback on whether to ask the  North Carolina Department of Transportation to designate the existing highway as U.S. 74 business and the expressway as U.S. 74 toll.

Some business owners hope the word “toll” may entice drivers to avoid the bypass.

Because some of the traffic will be diverted when the bypass opens, some business owners, like Bob Drake at Your GG’s Kitchen, are staying positive.

Drake hopes that locals who have been avoiding Highway 74 will come back.

“People will be able to use it. People will have a different attitude towards it,” Drake said.

Union County’s planning department has an online survey to get feedback on the idea of the state designating the bypass as a toll.

Staff told Channel 9 about 80 people have filled it out so far. Community feedback will be gathered through Nov. 14.

Once the survey results are back, the county will get feedback from all the municipalities in this area and the board of commissioners before possibly taking a proposal to NCDOT.

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