Most of the trees have been removed between Sloan and Potts streets on Davidson’s west side, to make way for an NCDOT road connection project. But before that can happen, asbestos must be removed from soil in the corridor. It’s part of tons of asbestos that came from the former Carolina Asbestos Co. plant on Depot Street.
A public meeting on the NCDOT’s Potts-Sloan-Beatty road project is scheduled Monday, Dec. 8, at 6pm, in the cafeteria at the Ada Jenkins Center, 212 Gamble St.
The road project calls for improved sidewalks on Potts and Sloan streets, the new road connecting Sloan Street and the Potts Street cul-de-sac, and a new roundabout at Griffith, Sloan and Beaty streets. It’s part of a broader plan of improvements that includes a new roundabout and road configuration at Potts Street and NC 115/North Main Street in Cornelius.
Over the past 10 days, workers have cleared trees and brush between Sloan and Potts streets. The NCDOT previously has acquired the right-of-way from the town and private landowners.
Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that was used for decades in building and pipe insulation, brake linings, shingles and tiles, and even hair dryers. But breathing the tiny fibers can cause lung cancer and asbestosis. As my 2021 WFAE radio project “Asbestos Town” for reported, many Davidson residents say they have lost family members to asbestos disease.
Carolina Asbestos operated from the 1930s to 1970. The old mill next to the railroad tracks is now called the Linden Mill. In 2020, soil testing found asbestos along the route of the planned road connection, among other places. (Many properties on the West Side were cleaned up by the EPA between 2017 and 2021. And any projects that disturb soil in the area must test for asbestos and remove any found.)
The town of Davidson says in a press release that an asbestos removal contractor will dig up and remove soil in areas where asbestos was found along the new road route. They’ll wear safety gear and use air monitors to make sure the toxic asbestos is not becoming airborne.
You can find out more about the Potts-Sloan-Beaty project on the town website.
David Boraks 