Though there is a pretty definite date for the opening of the Rogers Road bridge over Smith Creek, there remains an obstacle for traffic on the major road between Wake Forest and Rolesville – the washout of the pavement between Hobblebush Way and Jeffreys Lane.
On Oct. 7 and 8, during the local onslaught of Hurricane Matthew rain and wind, the waters of Sanford Creek could not be contained in the two 60-inch pipes under the road and crumbled the pavement. Since then, because sightseers had been walking on the damaged road section and taking pictures and selfies, Wake Forest police officers put up caution tape and patrol the area regularly.
There is no definite date for the repair, Wake Forest Town Manager Kip Padgett told the town board last week and repeated the same news this week. One problem is that the solution is a nonstandard pipe.
“NCDOT is going to put in an arch culvert which is being fabricated. To date, we have not received any updates on when the section will be reopened,” Padgett said in an email Wednesday.
Until the repair is made, there are two or three rather roundabout ways to get to Rolesville from Wake Forest. One is to take Jones Dairy Road to Averette Road and then south into Rolesville; a variant is to take Wait Avenue (N.C. 98) to Averette and then south. Or you can take Forestville Road to Burlington Mills Road then thence to US 401 to go north to Rolesville. Coming from the south, take Burlington Mills all way to 401.
