CHAPEL HILL – Traffic detours will begin next week along with the start of a project to improve traffic flow for an intersection in south Chapel Hill.
A N.C. Department of Transportation contractor will construct a roundabout to address bottlenecking at the junction of Bennett Road and Mt. Carmel Church Road.
Roundabouts have many benefits, including they are safer than traditional intersections and they eliminate the stop-and-go nature of an all-way stop. A recent study showed a 46 percent reduction in crashes and 75 percent reduction in fatal and injury crashes at roundabout intersections, compared with the traditional intersections they replaced.
To construct the roundabout, NCDOT will close Bennett Road between Mt. Carmel Church Road and U.S. 15-501 on April 1. The stretch of road is expected to reopen Jan. 30, 2020. Traffic
will be detoured to follow U.S. 15-501 and Mt. Carmel Church Road during the closure.
Drivers are urged to use caution near the work zone and plan for a slightly longer commute because of the detour.