North Salem Street is one-way southbound downtown until mid-December, and the Apex Peakway stays closed at South Salem Street. Detours and who to call.
Last checked Oct. 23, 2026. Project details come from the Town of Apex’s transportation project pages and its NCDOT projects list. This page is refreshed weekly.
Downtown Apex’s biggest traffic change right now is the Salem Streetscape project, which has North Salem Street down to one southbound lane. Just south, the Apex Peakway’s new bridge over South Salem Street and the CSX tracks is in its last stage of work, with the Peakway still closed between South Salem Street and Towhee Drive.
Who to call
- Town road projects: Amir Nezarati, Town of Apex, 919-249-3432, email
- Live traffic, incidents and work zones on state roads: DriveNC.gov, NCDOT’s real-time traffic site
- Town street problems (potholes, signs): Ask Apex, 919-249-3311
- Official pages: Town Road Projects and NCDOT Projects in Apex
Closures and detours now
North Salem Street, Saunders Street to Chatham Street. One side of the street is closed at a time for the Salem Streetscape project, so traffic runs one way southbound and the block is open to local traffic only. Through traffic should take NC 55 to Hunter Street. Sidewalks on both sides stay open and every business is open. The town’s Oct. 6 update said crews are on the west side of the street, laying underground soil cells and sidewalk pavers, with light poles and street trees due to arrive late October or early November. Construction began in January 2026; the town expects both sides of the street open by mid-December, with cleanup finished by mid-January 2027. Work on the Saunders Gathering Space, at Salem and Saunders streets, is next. GoApex Route 1 runs a southbound detour, with stops at the Halle Cultural Arts Center, near Center Street and near Moore Street.
Apex Peakway at South Salem Street. The town is building a four-lane bridge to carry the Peakway over South Salem Street and the CSX line, closing the last gap in the loop. The town’s Oct. 2 update said crews had set the bridge fencing, guardrail and signal poles and were finishing drainage, the South Salem Street widening, a water line tie-in and the signals before final paving, markings and signs. The town has not posted an opening date. Until it opens, the posted detour uses Olive Chapel Road, Williams Street and Salem Street. Grappenhall Drive and Towhee Drive stay reachable from the Peakway, and the town asks drivers to use the posted detour, not neighborhood streets. Once the bridge opens, Tingen Road will close for good at the railroad crossing. The contract runs from October 2024 to October 2027 at an estimated $22 million.
Neighborhood repaving. The town’s 2026 resurfacing contract began in March. As of Sept. 30, work was underway or scheduled in Woodridge, Maya Court, Ashley Downs phases 2 and 3, Miramonte, and Classic Road, Burma Drive and Goodworth Drive, with Glenn Arbor, North Mason Street (East Chatham Street to Center Street), Salem Oaks, Shepherds Vineyard phases 6 and 7, Upchurch Street south of NC 55 and Waterford East still on the list. Expect lane closures and some days without curb parking. The Peak Pavement Management map shows every street’s condition and latest work.
Town projects coming next
| Project | What it does | Schedule (town estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Jessie Drive improvements | Upgrades Jessie Drive from the Horton Park boundary to Ten Ten Road; four lanes with a median at Ten Ten | Construction starts fall 2026; done winter 2027 |
| Apex Peakway North widening | Four lanes from Center Street to Old Raleigh Road | Construction 2029 to 2032 |
| Justice Heights extension | Extends Justice Heights Street from South Salem Street to the Peakway, with sidewalk | See project page |
State (NCDOT) projects in and around Apex
NCDOT schedules come from the State Transportation Improvement Program and change; the town last updated this list Sept. 28.
| Project | What it does | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| NC 55 at Technology Drive and East Williams Street (HL-0007) | Converts the intersection to a reduced conflict intersection, or superstreet; widens NC 55 to Sunset Lake Road; sidewalks both sides | Utility work September 2026; construction spring 2027 |
| NC 55 (Williams Street) CSX bridge and widening (U-2901BA) | New rail bridge and widening between South Mason Street and just north of South Salem Street | Public meeting winter 2026-27; construction 2028 to 2031 |
| NC 55 widening (U-2901B) | Multilane road from US 1 to Olive Chapel Road | Construction 2031 to 2033 |
| US 1 at New Hill Holleman Road and Friendship Road (HE-0010) | Interchange and intersection improvements | Right of way 2026; construction late 2027 or early 2028 |
| US 64 corridor (U-5301, U-5301A) | Six lanes, interchanges at Laura Duncan Road and Lake Pine Drive, Apex to Cary, and a CSX bridge | Right of way 2027; construction 2029 (bridge) and 2031 (widening). Public meeting 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 18 |
| Complete 540, Phase 2 (R-2829A, R-2829B) | Extends the Triangle Expressway from I-40 to US 64/US 264 in Knightdale | Under construction since spring 2024; completion late 2028 |
| Signal system upgrade (U-6117) | New fiber, controllers and signals | Construction 2028 |
| US 64 at NC 751 (R-5887) | New interchange | Construction 2032 |
| Ten Ten Road widening (U-5825A, U-5825C) | Four lanes from Apex Peakway toward US 1 and Kildaire Farm Road | Design only; construction not funded |
| US 1 widening (U-6066) | More lanes between NC 55 and US 64 | Design only; construction not planned before 2033 |
NCDOT contacts for each project are on the town’s NCDOT page. For Complete 540, call the project line at 800-554-7849 or see the NCDOT project site.
Before you drive
- State roads (US 1, US 64, NC 55, NC 540): DriveNC.gov.
- Town streets: the town posts closures in its news and alerts.
- Downtown parking during construction: the town’s downtown parking map and Apex Parking app show open spaces in real time.
For main roads, transit and parking in general, see our guide to getting around Apex.
Frequently asked questions
Is Salem Street closed in downtown Apex?
North Salem Street between Saunders and Chatham streets is one-way southbound and local traffic only during the Salem Streetscape project. The town expects both sides open by mid-December 2026. Through traffic should use NC 55 and Hunter Street.
When will the Apex Peakway bridge open?
The town has not posted an opening date. Its Oct. 2 update said crews were finishing signals, rails and drainage before final paving, pavement markings and signs. The construction contract runs to October 2027.
When will NC 55 be widened in Apex?
NCDOT’s current schedule puts construction of the NC 55 CSX bridge section at 2028 to 2031 and the rest of the Williams Street widening, from US 1 to Olive Chapel Road, at 2031 to 2033.
Where can I check traffic and road closures in North Carolina?
DriveNC.gov is NCDOT’s real-time traffic and travel site, with incidents, closures and work zones on state roads.
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