The NC Department of Transportation will host a virtual public meeting about proposed improvements along US 1/Capital Boulevard at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 9.
On Tuesday, Dec. 7, The News & Observer provided some more detail about the project. For instance, there are four options for closing the intersection of Gresham Lake Road, and those include two that would extend the road over Capital Boulevard on a new bridge. The interchange at Durant Road/Perry Creek Road has been reworked to make it more compact, but a gas station and Dunkin Donuts on the current corner will be razed. Farther north at the new Burlington Mills Road the interchange will take much of the Crossroads Ford dealership and a dozen houses on Circle Road.
There was no explanation about impacts at the Wake Forest intersection where South Main Street becomes Falls of the Neuse Road after crossing Capital Boulevard. Perhaps that interchange has not been fully developed, but it is difficult to see how it can be built on the east side without impacting at least two and maybe three car dealerships. On the west side the Wakefield developers reserved land for a future interchange. That has since lapsed but nothing has been built on the reserved land.
There will be a network of service roads which will allow smaller roads and streets and driveways to connect to Capital Boulevard at interchanges.
A major undertaking will be the construction of a new bridge or bridges over the Neuse River, though there has been no discussion in news releases or the newspaper article about the bridge(s).
The N&O article also says the driver for the new Capital Boulevard has been the enormous growth in northern Wake and southern Franklin County as well as the tremendous growth in Wake Forest. The population of the town in 2000 was 14,288 by the town’s count and 12,588 according to the U.S. Census. Since town officials probably have a clearer picture of their town we will go by the town’s current population count, 50,244, although that figure, set a year ago, is certainly a little low. It means the town has grown by about three and a half times in that 11 years, 35,956 people.
NCDOT proposes to convert US 1/Capital Boulevard to a controlled access highway from I-540 in Raleigh to Purnell Road (S.R. 1909) / Harris Road (S.R. 1931) in Wake Forest. A controlled-access highway is one on which access is provided only via ramps at interchanges. Some cross-streets will be grade-separated, and no driveway connections will be allowed.
Area residents are encouraged to review project videos, design maps, and other information on the project webpage (https://publicinput.com/Capital-Boulevard-Upgrade), and provide feedback. Traffic signals on U.S. 1 within the study area will be removed and replaced with interchanges at Durant Road/Perry Creek Road, Burlington Mills Road, Falls of Neuse Road/US 1A (South Main Street), and Purnell Road/Harris Road. Service roads have been provided along the corridor. (Editor’s note: Please note that there will not be an interchange at the Jenkins Road/Stadium Road intersection. Anyone wishing to use Capital Boulevard to reach the large shopping center, Wake Forest Crossing, will have to exit Capital Boulevard at either Falls of the Neuse/South Main Street, NC 98 (Durham Road) or Purnell Road/Stadium Drive and make their way on town streets.)
The purpose of the project is to reduce traffic congestion and improve travel times and maintain regional mobility and local connectivity.
Register to join the meeting from your computer or smartphone at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3944497283958451981. To listen only, call 415-930-5321 and enter code 268-435-629.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services for disabled persons who wish to participate in this meeting. Persons requiring these services are urged to contact Diane Wilson at 919-707-6073 or pdwilson1@ncdot.gov as early as possible.
To submit comments or ask questions about the project, email Capital-Boulevard-Upgrade@publicinput.com or call 984-205-6615 (code 3243).
