MATTHEWS, N.C. — Chad Rascoe has been driving up and down Highway 51 his whole life.
"I grew up off Highway 51. I used to ride my bike up and down there when it was two lanes," said Rascoe.
He's seen the mass influx of people, traffic and the construction of the roundabout at Idlewild and Matthews-Mint Hill roads in 2017.
[ALSO READ: New roundabouts reflect growth trend across the Charlotte area]
At first, many neighbors weren't so happy about the roundabout, but eventually they grew to appreciate it.
"We’re like we’re gonna hate this, but the roundabouts are absolutely wonderful," said Rascoe.
Drivers were cutting through parking lots and neighborhoods to get around the closures - and some local businesses told Channel 9 sales were down.
"We avoided the area," one driver said.
Now that the roundabout is open, congestion in the area has decreased significantly.
"It’s been a blessing because I can hit this roundabout easy and then go on," said Rascoe.
Channel 9's Elsa Gillis learned that the North Carolina Department of Transportation's proposal to widen Highway 51 shows the new roundabout will be replaced with a different intersection.
NCDOT said the $1.8 million roundabout was the best choice to reduce congestion and limit crashes -- looking at the 10-year traffic forecast.
[RELATED: Indian Trail business owners worry about losing customers due to road project]
Officials told Gillis the roundabout has a 10-year life expectancy and that will be up around the time the widening project is complete.
"If you’re looking to do something in maybe seven to 10 years with the widening of 51, I think it’ll be OK," Rascoe said. "I think it’ll be exactly like the roundabout where the flow would be a good thing for everyone."