N.C. 55 is a major north-south corridor that serves a growing part of the Triangle. The highway is mostly three lanes north of Angier before narrowing to two lanes south of town. N.C. 55 is also an alternate route to I-95 and I-40 for people traveling between the Dunn area and southwest Raleigh.
The Harnett County Comprehensive Transportation Plan, which was amended in 2016, and the towns of Fuquay-Varina and Angier, as well as the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, support the need to widen this corridor.
The primary needs for improving this corridor are to relieve congestion, reduce traveling delays, and improve regional mobility.
The corridor is expected to continue experiencing growth in population, development, and traffic volumes in the coming decades. The route already experiences delays and backups during the commuter times each weekday.
In 2018, NCDOT selected "Corridor B" as the preferred route for the new bypass. The decision was based on public comments taken during a 2017 open house, as well as by analyzing the projected traffic volumes and reviewing the environmental impacts of each alternative. In addition, Corridor B will avoid impacting businesses through downtown.