RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Transportation on Tuesday updated its timelines for repairing Triange-area roads that were damaged during flash flooding over the weekend.
Floodwaters closed sections of more than a dozen roads, including U.S. 401, N.C. 96 and N.C. 97. Several of the roads are expected to be repaired and reopened quickly, while some will take longer. Temporary solutions will be utilized where possible.
The flooding washed out U.S. 401 between N.C. 96 and N.C. 98 at the Little River near the Franklin-Wake County line. The location is within the work zone for a project to widen the highway to four lanes. NCDOT is working with the contractor for that project to determine temporary and permanent solutions for restoring traffic.
The timeline for the repair may depend on the status of precast concrete box culverts being manufactured for the widening project, but the road is tentatively expected to reopen by the end of July. In the meantime, the 12,000 vehicles that use the stretch highway daily will be detoured 3 miles to follow N.C. 98 to N.C. 96 back to U.S. 401.
N.C. 96 reopened early Monday afternoon after closing for shoulder repair at Martin Road and other locations north of Zebulon.
N.C. 97 at the Little River west of Zebulon also closed due to flooding. An inspection Monday afternoon revealed more damage than initially anticipated and repairs are expected to last until July 30. Traffic is being detoured to follow Currin Perry, Green Pace and Water Tower roads.
In addition to the U.S. 401 washout and N.C. 97 closure, the following closures are expected to take longer to repair:
- Moores Pond Road north of Bud Wall Road near Youngsville, estimated to reopen June 22;
- Billy Hopkins Road north of Fowler Road near Zebulon, estimated to reopen July 30;
- Mitchell Mill Road south of N.C. 96 near Rolesville, estimated to reopen July 30; and
- Country Club Road at Moccasin Creek near Zebulon, estimated to reopen July 30.
Swift repairs by NCDOT crews enabled the following locations that experienced flooding and damage to reopen by Tuesday:
- Halifax Road north of N.C. 96 near Rolesville;
- Barham Siding Road north of N.C. 96 near Rolesville; and
- Watkins Town Road north of Old Milburnie Road near Rolesville.