July 18, 2023

(Huntersville, NC) – Nick Walsh announced today he is running for Huntersville Town Commissioner. Walsh has served on the town board from 2017-2021.

“Quite often you hear commissioners say, “this is what I have done for the town,” says Walsh. “The truth is it takes a team to get anything done. It’s all about working collaboratively in the spirit of compromise.” Walsh points to roads, bikeways and greenways, and managed growth as areas where this approach had been successful.

Walsh has seen first hand how transportation has become a major challenge for our town. “Growth has outstripped our road network”, he says. “Although NCDOT is ultimately responsible for most of our roads, town commissioners need to have a clear vision that includes accelerating targeted road projects and looks for opportunities to partner with businesses.” 

While commissioner, Walsh voted to allocate town funds toward several important road projects. “The Main Street Road Project, which is currently underway, will allow greater flow of north/south traffic through downtown and bring more patrons for our downtown businesses,” says Walsh. “The Gilead Road West Project, soon to get underway, will bring relief to traffic backups around Ranson Road and the Wynfield neighborhood. The NCDOT US-21 Gilead Road Bridge Project will relieve backups around Exit 23, especially traffic coming off the interstate. Several other intersection improvements are planned and underway. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to ease transportation woes for our town.”

For Walsh, it’s not just about building roads. “Non-motorized transportation is a critical part of our interconnected network,” he says. “In collaboration with a grant from NCDOT, we adopted our first Bike Plan Update which includes bikeways and greenways. In addition, we hired an internal team of employees to build out our sideway network. As a passionate supporter of our greenways, I collaborated with Mecklenburg County to prioritize projects within Huntersville. Those agreements will bring more than 6 ½ miles of greenways to Huntersville. Greenways will connect our neighborhoods and our business centers. Walkable communities promote a healthier lifestyle and get traffic off the roads.”

“Managed growth is in everyone’s best interest,” says Walsh. “It’s always a challenge to manage development with all the people and businesses moving here. Our adopted Huntersville 2040 Community Plan lays out the vision and a blueprint for our future. This blueprint limits growth in the western and eastern parts of the town to promote a more rural feel. It envisions density along our major north-south corridors including I-77, Hwy 21, and Hwy 115. I will continue to support our Planning Staff and Planning Board’s recommendations when it comes to adherence to this plan.”

“There is so much more to be done. We need to work together to accelerate more road projects by getting them shovel ready, expand funding to our police and fire departments who keep our community safe, address the issue of workforce housing so everyone has a place to live in our community, all while managing growth in a place I have called home for over 30 years. I’m ready to get to work for our town. I would appreciate your vote this November!”