By Rebecca Rider

rebecca.rider@salisburypost.com

LANDIS — An intersection in Landis may get a makeover after Monday night’s Board of Aldermen meeting.

In March, Landis business owner Lanny Merrell came before the board about a poorly designed intersection in front of Merrell Family Dentistry. The business lies at the intersection of three roads: South Main, West First Street and South Highland Avenue, and Merrell called the intersection “unsafe.”

The meeting of the three roads makes it dangerous for people entering or leaving the practice, and ungainly islands make it a difficult and confusing area to navigate, Merrell said.

Town officials agreed with Merrell’s assessment, calling the intersection “a poor design.” However, the area is maintained by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and would have to receive the department’s approval before any changes could be made.

On Monday, Town Manager Reed Linn said that the department approved of the need to rework the intersection, and had requested that the town board choose a layout. Out of three options, the board chose one that would extend a concrete buffer from Merrell Family Dentistry between Highland Avenue and West First Street.

The design will be taken back to the Department of Transportation for approval.

In other business the board:

• Appointed David Sells to the town planning board.

• Heard the Landis Fire Department will conduct a live burn of two structures in the 200 block of South Meriah, at the intersection of West Ridge Avenue on Aug. 5 and 6.

• Heard several streets in Landis and China Grove will be closed temporarily due to ongoing construction on the railroad tracks. Tom Street in China Grove will be closed from Aug. 5 through Aug. 17, Centerview Street in China Grove will be closed between Aug. 18 and Oct. 18, Ryder Avenue in Landis will be closed temporarily on Aug. 15 and North Central Avenue will close permanently on Friday.

• Heard that on Aug. 27 the town will host a community pool day from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Pool members will be eligible for free food.

Contact reporter Rebecca Rider at 704-797-4264.