RALEIGH -The N. C. Department of
Transportation will host a public meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 12, to provide
updates on a proposed project to widen and improve 3 1/2 miles of I-440 and
interchanges between north of Wade Avenue in Raleigh and south of Walnut Street
in Cary.
That section of
I-440 currently has two lanes in each direction, compared to three lanes each
way at both ends of the proposed project site. With a daily traffic volume of
more than 80,000 vehicles a day, this bottleneck creates traffic congestion at
both ends, and that situation is anticipated to only worsen as the Raleigh area
continues to grow.
In addition to the
widening, plans call for upgrading design elements such as poor sight lines,
narrow shoulders and medians, and short acceleration/deceleration lanes. The
estimated $92 million project would also replace the interstate's pavement and
bridges, and upgrade the interchanges.
The public meeting
will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Method Road Park Community Center, Pioneer
Building, at 514 Method Road in Raleigh. Preliminary design alternatives will
be presented and NCDOT representatives will be available in an informal, open
house-style setting to answer questions and gather public input regarding the
proposed project. The opportunity to submit written comments or questions will
be provided, and is encouraged. Citizens may attend at any time during the
meeting hours. A short video showing the need for the project will be shown,
but there will not be a formal presentation.
For more
information, contact Diane Wilson from the NCDOT Project Development and
Environmental Analysis Unit at (919) 707-6073, or via email at
pdwilson1@ncdot.gov. Updated information is also available on the NCDOT website.
NCDOT will provide
auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for
disabled persons who want to participate in this workshop. Anyone requiring special services should
contact Ms. Wilson as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made.
For persons who
speak Spanish and do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read,
speak or understand English, interpretive services will be available at the
meeting upon request. For more information, please call 1-800-481-6494 prior to
the meeting.
*** NCDOT ***