CLAYTON – A busy Clayton intersection
will get a nearly $1.5 million upgrade, and six other road projects are planned
for Johnston, Nash and Halifax counties, thanks to a new way to fund smaller
highway projects.
The N.C. Department of Transportation worked with the General
Assembly last year to establish the Mobility/Modernization Fund as a way to
speed up smaller-scale road work outside of the Strategic Transportation Investments process, which is how other
projects are prioritized and built. A portion of this new fund, called the High
Impact/Low Cost Project Program, provides about $1.7 million a year for each of
the state’s 14 highway divisions.
“This new program will have a big impact on our communities,” said
Gus Tulloss, the state Transportation Board member for Division 4. “It’s not
always easy to fund these smaller – but no less important – projects when
competing with other highway priorities around the state.
Construction will begin later this year on a second left-turn lane
on eastbound U.S. 70 Business at Shotwell Road in Clayton. The project also
includes adding a second northbound left-turn lane on Shotwell Road at the same
intersection. The improvements will help alleviate congestion where the average
daily traffic on Shotwell Road has doubled since 2003 to 10,000 vehicles in
2015, the most recently available figure.
Ronnie Keeter, the Division 4 engineer, said his staff consulted
with local transportation officials with the area Metropolitan and Rural
Planning organizations to develop criteria and select seven projects to build
over the next two years in the division, which comprises Edgecombe, Halifax,
Johnston, Nash, Wayne and Wilson counties.
In addition to the Clayton intersection, the projects are:
- Johnston County: Realign the
intersection of Winston and Guy roads near Clayton to eliminate an angled road
and add a left-turn lane on Guy Road, as well as realign the intersection of
Braswell/Ormond Road at Bakers Chapel Road to make it easier for motorists to
turn.
- Nash County: Clear vegetation and grade
land to improve visibility at two intersections with Taylor Store Road – one is
at Cedar Grove School Loop Road, and the other is at Harrison Road; and
construct a left-turn lane on Halifax Road where the Ketch Point subdivision has
been developed in Rocky Mount;
- Halifax County: Create a left-turn lane
in each direction on U.S. 158 for traffic entering Interstate 95 at Exit 173.
This will allow more vehicles to safely turn left onto the freeway.
Additionally, sidewalks will be constructed at this interchange for pedestrian
safety.
Contact: Andrew Barksdale
919-707-2662
acbarksdale@ncdot.gov