MEBANE – The N.C. 119 Bypass in Alamance County is set to fully open to traffic just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.
The project moved N.C. 119 out of downtown Mebane, where it now consists of 3.5 miles of four-lane, median-divided roadway and 1.4 miles of two-lane road on the west side of the town. The project also reconstructed the Interstate 40/85 interchange with a diverging diamond design.
The bypass improves traffic flow and safety in an area that is expected to continue seeing rapid growth. It alleviates congestion in downtown, giving drivers and emergency responders a new way to access points on the north and south sides of town without having to use the busy railroad crossing at Fifth Street.
The new route features new connections at South Fifth and South Third streets and U.S. 70. The diverging diamond also adds safety and efficiency at the I-40/85 interchange – allowing free-flowing turns for those entering and exiting the interstate, eliminating left turns against oncoming traffic, and limiting the number of traffic signal phases.
While drivers will have full access to the new route, they should still expect to see and be mindful of crews working to put the finishing touches on the project over the next several months.