Last leg of road work for Lowe's, Home Depot under way

By Laura M. Russo

Road construction designed to handle traffic from the development of The Home Depot and Lowe's in North Conway is scheduled for completion Sept. 14. Changes at the southern end of North-South Road have been progressing for about a year and a half in anticipation of the two big-box home-improvement stores. The final leg of road work will provide for a left-turn lane from North South Road onto Common Court, behind Settlers' Green. Common Court will be reconfigured for right-hand-turn-only traffic onto North-South Road, according to Paul DegliAngeli, public works director for the town. Youll be able to turn southbound only from Common Court, said DegliAngeli, so if you want to travel north, youll proceed through the roundabout.The roundabout, a circular intersection, was completed earlier this summer at North-South Road and Mountain Valley Boulevard.The work currently under way also includes reconstruction of Common Court, from the intersection with Common Court connector over to McMillan Way.So people will be able to travel from North-South Road to Common Court to the connector and over to Barnes Road and McMillan Way, through all-reconstructed roads, DegliAngeli said. Weve done work on both ends and now were finishing up the middle. This section of work has been underway since July 18, and will be paid for by The Home Depot. The project comes in at $460,000 plus an additional $160,000 for paving, for a total of $620,000.Meanwhile, Lowes is footing the bill for construction of the roundabout, and for road work on North-South Road and its intersection with Route 302. Cost is $800,000. The Home Depot opened on Barnes Road June 28. Lowe's, currently under construction as part of a redevelopment of Mountain Valley Mall, is expected to open late this fall.