Inbound lanes on Freedom Drive heading toward uptown were knocked out of commission Wednesday morning after downed power lines and at least two fallen utility poles blocked the road near Ashley Road, just past the Interstate 85 interchange. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police shut down all inbound lanes while crews moved in and drivers were pushed onto side streets. Officials had not yet said what brought the poles down.
According to the CMPD traffic feed, officers logged an incident at Freedom Drive and Tuckaseegee Road at 7:29 a.m. Wednesday that listed a traffic-control malfunction blocking lanes. The live entry showed police directing drivers around a significant roadway obstruction while crews worked to clear fallen equipment and debris from the corridor.
Queen City News reported that every inbound lane of Freedom Drive heading toward uptown was shut down near Ashley Road, with at least two power poles on the ground at the scene. The station noted the closure sat just beyond the I-85 interchange and that details were still developing as crews remained in the area.
Traffic impacts
A closure like this can turn the west and southwest Charlotte commute into a slow crawl, with backups spilling onto ramps and neighborhood cut-throughs right in the middle of the morning rush. WBTV has highlighted previous downed-line scenes that kept major roads shut for hours while utility crews swapped out poles and re-spooled lines, so drivers should build in extra time and stick to alternate routes if they can.
What officials say and what's next
As of midmorning, officials had not given an estimate for when Freedom Drive might reopen, and the cause of the outage was still under investigation, according to Queen City News. The CMPD traffic feed continued to list the roadway blockage while utility crews worked the scene, and motorists were being urged to avoid the area until the lanes are cleared.
Safety tips
Duke Energy advises treating every downed power line as if it is live and staying at least 30 feet away, then calling 911 and your utility provider to report the problem. The company also warns against touching vehicles or any other objects that are in contact with downed lines and urges people to wait for utility crews to declare the area safe.
Authorities remained on scene Wednesday, and drivers were advised to follow posted detours and steer clear of the corridor until officials reopen the inbound lanes.
