CLAYTON – The N.C. Department of Transportation is seeking public feedback on a plan under development to extend Ranch Road to N.C. 42 and help alleviate congestion in the fast-growing Clayton area.
The department proposes extending Ranch Road on new location to the intersection of U.S. 70 Business and N.C. 42 East. The proposal also includes realigning the intersection of Little Creek Church and Ranch roads to make Ranch Road the main through movement.
The department is not holding an in-person meeting for the project because of COVID-19. Instead, people are invited to go to this NCDOT public input website to watch a pre-recorded video, view the preliminary design maps and download other information. From the website, people can submit questions or comments about the proposed project.
Alternatively, people may communicate with the project team by either calling 855-925-2801 and entering project code 9548, or sending an email to RanchRd-Clayton@publicinput.com.
Comments received through Dec. 11 will be considered toward the final design.
The proposed project's benefits include:
- Create direct access between N.C. 42 and U.S. 70;
- Reduce congestion on U.S. 70 Business;
- Improve response time for emergency personnel; and
- Provide a detour route when the NCDOT begins widening N.C. 42 between U.S. 70 Business and N.C. 50 in the future, as this project page explains.
The Ranch Road extension project is estimated to cost $8.4 million, with construction tentatively scheduled to start in 2022.