NCDOT shows plans to widen U.S. 64 to six lanes, with interchanges at Laura Duncan Road and Lake Pine Drive, 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 18. Comments close Dec. 18.
The N.C. Department of Transportation will show its plans for U.S. 64 through Apex and Cary at a public meeting in downtown Apex on Wednesday, Nov. 18.
The project would widen U.S. 64 to six lanes from just west of Laura Duncan Road in Apex to U.S. 1 in Cary. It would also replace the CSX railroad bridge over the highway. NCDOT announced the meeting in a public meeting notice posted Oct. 20.
The meeting
- When: 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18
- Where: John M. Brown Community Center, 53 Hunter St., Apex
- Format: drop in. NCDOT staff will answer questions and take comments.
- Comments close: Friday, Dec. 18
NCDOT says the comments it receives will be taken into account as the design develops.
What NCDOT plans
The project highlights page lists the main changes:
- widening U.S. 64 to a six-lane divided highway
- new interchanges at Laura Duncan Road and Lake Pine Drive
- new grade-separated crossings at Shepherds Vineyard Drive and Edinburgh Drive
- reduced conflict intersections from east of Lake Pine Drive to U.S. 1
- walking and biking connections identified during planning
A reduced conflict intersection, sometimes called a superstreet, sends side-street drivers right and then through a U-turn instead of straight across or left.
A separate contract will replace the CSX S-Line bridge west of Laura Duncan Road. The current bridge is too narrow to fit a wider highway beneath it. NCDOT says the bridge will be finished before the highway work starts, so the two jobs do not clash.
A preferred design was chosen in 2019, and the environmental document was completed in August 2019, according to the project history page. NCDOT says final designs are now being drawn.
Why NCDOT says the road needs work
The project page gives these figures:
- more than 40,000 vehicles a day near Laura Duncan Road
- more than 56,000 vehicles a day at U.S. 1
- traffic expected to grow by more than 40% by 2040
- nearly 800 crashes on the corridor from 2012 to 2016, almost twice the statewide average for similar highways
NCDOT also points to students who walk near Apex High School and cross U.S. 64 at lunchtime or after school.
What it costs and when
The two projects carry a combined $342.5 million in the State Transportation Improvement Program. NCDOT’s estimates, which it says are subject to change:
| Item | Rail bridge (U-5301A) | Highway (U-5301) |
|---|---|---|
| Right of way | $5.6 million | $93 million |
| Utility relocation | $110,000 | $4.4 million |
| Construction | $32.3 million | $207.1 million |
| Total | $38.01 million | $304.5 million |
The town’s NCDOT projects page lists the schedule, which NCDOT says may change:
- Right of way: 2027 for both the bridge and the highway
- Construction: 2029 for the rail bridge and 2031 for the widening
Buying right of way is when the state acquires the land it needs from property owners along the route.
What it means for you
- If you drive U.S. 64 to Cary or U.S. 1: this is the meeting where you can see where the interchanges and U-turns would go and tell NCDOT what you think before designs are final.
- If you own property along the corridor: right-of-way buying is scheduled for 2027. The project site has a property owner resources section, and NCDOT staff at the meeting will answer questions.
- If your child walks to Apex High: the plans add crossings and walking connections, and the meeting is the place to ask exactly where.
- Can’t make it? Comment by Dec. 18 by email to us64-apex-cary@publicinput.com, or by phone at 512-580-8850 using project code 2246.
- Need an accommodation or an interpreter? Call NCDOT’s Environmental Analysis Unit at 919-707-6024 for disability accommodations, or 1-800-481-6494 for interpreting services, as early as possible before the meeting.
Nothing about this changes traffic today. For the closures and work going on now, see our Apex road closures page, which lists the other NCDOT projects in and around town.
Have your say