NCDOT: 15th Street Improvements - Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All

Collapse All

How did the 15th Street Improvements project begin
The N.C. Department of Transportation uses a transparent, systematic and data-driven process for prioritizing major transportation projects in North Carolina and making investment decisions.

Projects are evaluated based on their merit through an analysis of the existing and future conditions, the benefits the project is expected to provide, the project’s multi-modal characteristics and how the project fits in with local priorities. The outcome of the strategic prioritization process serves as input to the draft State Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP.

The 15th Street Improvements project is in alignment with local priorities and was included in the 2014 Beaufort County Comprehensive Transportation Plan which recommends improving 15th Street to a four-lane divided boulevard with sidewalks from U.S. 17 Business to Brown Street.

The project was submitted, prioritized, and selected for funding as a four-lane divided facility with pedestrian accommodations. Any deviation from those components would require a new project to be submitted for the next round of prioritization.

Click here to learn more about NCDOT's What is Strategic Prioritization?
How will this project affect my property?
If right-of-way or an easement is required, NCDOT will offer fair market value for the property. A right-of-way agent will contact property owners and work with them directly during the right-of-way acquisition phase of the project.

Click here for more information about NCDOT's right-of-way process.
Will crosswalks be included with this project?
A multi-use path, sidewalk, and crosswalks are being added to enhance bicycle and pedestrian safety. Pedestrian crosswalks will be provided at intersections with traffic signals. The location for mid-block pedestrian crossings (designated areas for pedestrians to cross the street between where vehicular intersections occur) and associated ADA-compliant median cut-throughs will be determined as the design progresses. Any street lighting measures beyond DOT guidelines would be considered a betterment and the city would be responsible for the cost of the materials, installation, and maintenance.
Can the multi-use path be narrowed or removed to reduce property impacts?
For the 15th Street corridor, a crash study was conducted over a five-year period where 417 total crashes were reported. There were three fatal crashes and 11 disabling injury crashes. Two crashes involving a pedestrian were recorded and one was fatal. There have also been several pedestrian-related crashes in the past 10 years along this corridor.

A multi-use path, sidewalks, and crosswalks are being added to enhance bicycle and pedestrian safety. Safety is one of the main purposes of this project in response to the total crash rate along this corridor (814.76 percent) exceeding the total critical crash rate for North Carolina (580.39 percent).

The proposed bicycle and pedestrian accommodations were developed from numerous local plans. Additionally, the 2016 City of Washington Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan recommends sidewalks, while the 2020 Beaufort County Comprehensive Bicycle Plan and the 2014 City of Washington Bicycle Plan each recommend separated bicycle facilities.

NCDOT’s Complete Streets policy requires NCDOT to evaluate all projects for bicycle and pedestrian needs and include enhancements where the need is identified at no additional cost to the municipality when the recommendation has been included in a local transportation plan.

As a result, the City of Washington requested a sidewalk and multiuse path along this corridor. This was agreed upon by NCDOT to satisfy local plans with similar multi-modal accommodations that have a reduced roadway width.

NCDOT will continue to work with the City of Washington on efforts to reduce property impacts while retaining these important multimodal accommodations and accommodating the replacement of underground utilities.
Why was 12th Street made to be a cul-de-sac?
The proposed cul-de-sac at 12th, 15th and Brown streets is a safety improvement due to the intersection’s existing five-legged geometry. Five-legged intersections have more potential for collisions due to increased conflict points and driver confusion.

The proposed four-legged signalized intersection at 15th and Brown will allow traffic to move through the 15th Street corridor more efficiently, without the need for additional traffic signals.
What will the speed limit be?
The proposed speed limit on 15th Street from U.S. 17 Business to US 264 will be 35 mph. Raised medians and narrower lanes are traffic calming measures that will be implemented with the proposed project.
Can a bypass be built instead?
A bypass of the City of Washington was previously studied by NCDOT under Project No. H090233 but is not under consideration and will not be carried forward for further study at this time. For information on other projects in the area or suggestions for new projects, please contact the Mid-East Rural Planning Organization at (252) 946-8043.
Can the medians be removed with a continuous center turn lane instead?
For the 15th Street corridor, a crash study was conducted over a five-year period where 417 total crashes were reported. The 139 crashes that occurred were predominantly left turn crashes, which will be significantly reduced through the implementation of a median.

Raised medians are innovative solutions to manage access to main roads effectively. This design lowers crash rates, enhances safety and improves traffic flow, even as traffic volumes increase. NCDOT's goal is to propose the safest and most efficient improvements for communities after careful evaluation of alternatives. A continuous center turn lane is unlikely to improve mobility and would introduce additional safety concerns.
Would this location be suitable for a road diet?
A road diet typically involves converting an existing four-lane undivided (no median section) roadway to a three-lane roadway consisting of two through lanes and a center two-way left-turn lane. While road diets can improve safety and accommodate motorized and nonmotorized transportation along a corridor, they may not be appropriate or feasible in all locations.

According to Federal Highway Administration guidance, the existing and proposed Average Annual Daily Traffic along this corridor makes it an unsuitable candidate for a road diet.

Additionally, road diets become ineffective along corridors with multiple access points and left-turn volumes due to queuing in the center lane that can impair sight distance and create additional conflict points, which is also seen along this corridor. Road diets can also cause diversion of traffic to parallel routes particularly if the corridor is experiencing congestion. In this case, this could result in additional traffic along residential streets as “cut-through” traffic.
What is a Reduced Conflict Intersection?
Corridors with growing traffic volumes and high crash rates in rural areas are good candidates for reduced-conflict intersections. A reduced conflict intersection is sometimes referred to as a superstreet, a synchronized street or a median U-turn.
These types of intersection treatments were selected for the 15th Street corridor for its ability to maintain the flow of traffic while reducing the risk of crashes. According to Federal Highway Administration guidance, the existing and proposed annual average daily traffic along this corridor makes it a good candidate for a reduced conflict intersection.
Will the Reduced Conflict Intersection affect my business?
Economic researchers for the University of North Carolina at Wilmington spent over two years studying more than 400 reduced conflict intersections around the state for a report sponsored by NCDOT and published in 2022.

Key findings of the study:
- While some locations showed a positive and significant increase in economic activity, many others had neither a negative nor positive effect, suggesting the traffic safety benefits gained by the design do not generally harm a business.
- Businesses that are busiest later in the day are more likely to approve the design because it makes it easier for customers to reach them.
- Reduced conflict intersections have the potential to support home values.
Residents and homeowners tended to value the improved traffic flow and traffic safety that result from a reduced conflict intersection.
How will people access businesses with the median?
While access will be modified, vehicles entering and exiting businesses on 15th Street will continue. The proposed medians provide opportunities for dedicated left-turn lanes that eliminate traffic back-ups into through lanes.

The existing four-lane undivided (no median section) roadway causes traffic to back up while waiting for vehicles to make left turns. This situation can cause traffic congestion and crashes.
Where will traffic signals be located?
At this stage of the project, signal locations that will provide adequate spacing for vehicle progression and pedestrian crossings are still being determined. NCDOT projects are evaluated for compliance to signal warrants to maintain smooth traffic flow, and efficient coordination between signals.
Will this design negatively impact emergency response times?
NCDOT has been in touch with emergency services through their Community Studies Impact Assessment. The design team will continue to coordinate with emergency services and any concerns related to access are being vetted to ensure the project does not inhibit response times during construction or after implementation. Medians along the corridor can be designed to be mountable to further accommodate access for fire, police and emergency services.
Will the trees be preserved?
Some tree removal is anticipated throughout construction. NCDOT will coordinate with the city to discuss specific requests for landscaping and aesthetics. Landscaping in and around medians will be designed in accordance with NCDOT guidelines and contingent upon a municipal agreement.
How will stormwater be addressed with this project?
Stormwater and drainage improvements are proposed as a part of this project. NCDOT will continue to work closely with the city to implement solutions to flooding along the corridor in conjunction with ongoing improvements.
Are roundabouts proposed on 15th Street?
No roundabouts are proposed along 15th Street.
Was the 380-unit housing development proposed on North Market Street considered?
NCDOT is aware of the future housing development proposed on North Market Street. A travel demand forecasting model was used to predict future traffic on 15th Street.

This model predicts future travel patterns according to how many trips will be made, their destinations and the modes and routes taken based on factors like land use, demographics and transportation infrastructure.

The project design team will continue to coordinate with the city and Mid-East Rural Planning Organization to ensure all applicable future development is considered in the planning and design of the 15th Street Improvements project.
Why was an outdated aerial used for the project maps?
Public meeting maps for all NCDOT projects follow a standard template that includes referencing in statewide orthophotography from NC OneMap.

Based on this standard practice, aerial photography from 2020 was shown on the public meeting maps.

However, the project team has utilized more recent aerials (2023-2024), supplemented with field visits and local input to ensure the existing landscape is appropriately considered in the planning and design process.

The NCDOT location and survey team will ensure that aerials and property boundaries will continue to be updated as the project design is refined.
Will the basketball court be impacted?
The basketball court located at North Bonner and 15th streets was identified early in the process as a community resource that would be impacted. The project team has coordinated with the city to determine that the court is able to be relocated on the same property. NCDOT will continue to coordinate with the city to limit disruptions during construction.
Why is NCDOT not implementing the Stantec design developed for the city in 2021?
The 15th Street Complete Streets Conceptual Designs prepared by Stantec (or Stantec Concept) did not fully meet the project’s purpose and need to improve mobility and safety, as it failed to accommodate the anticipated average annual daily traffic along the corridor.

The Stantec Concept was reviewed using the latest traffic forecast by a private engineering firm under contract with NCDOT and the State Traffic Management Engineer through traffic modeling software. The conclusion was that the concept would create several operational and safety concerns including queuing and delays. It was found that several existing signalized intersections are operating near or at capacity. In addition, long side street delays would be anticipated at unsignalized intersections, which often leads to vehicles making unsafe maneuvers to turn onto the main street.

Last updated May. 27, 2025

About

News & Events

Divisions

Initiatives & Policies

Travel & Maps

Projects & Studies

Projects

Studies

Related Resources

Other Links

Frequently Asked Questions