https://apps.ncdot.gov/NewsReleases/details.aspx?r=14637 NCDOT Looks to Widen N.C. 42 in Johnston County Monday, December 04, 2017 CLAYTON – To ease traffic congestion and plan for expected growth, state transportation officials are finalizing a proposal to widen an eight-mile stretch of N.C. 42 in a fast-developing area of Johnston County. The proposal would widen what now is largely a two-lane road into four lanes with a divided median between U.S. 70 Business inside Clayton and N.C. 50, west of Interstate 40. https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/nc42widening/default.html
They promised the people that this would be done in the late 90s and then again in 2008 (I believe). Then, all of a sudden, all the money went to the East side of Clayton to make 42 better for all the "big" bucks on that side. The congestion has always been worse on the west side of Clayton going to I40.
Some major projects affecting our area: Start 2017 - Finish ~2019 - I40 repaving from NC42 to I95 Start 2018 - Finish 2022 - I40 widening from NC42 to I440 (2 additional lanes each direction) - https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/i40nc42/ Start 2020 - Finish ~2025 - NC540 from NC55 to I40 - https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/complete540/ Start ~2022 - Finish ~2028 - NC540 from I40 to US64 - https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/complete540/ Start 2022 - Finish ~2024 - NC42 widening from NC50 to US70 Business - https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/nc42widening/default.html US70/I42 - https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/US70corridor/
Looks like we have another one! http://www.newsobserver.com/news/traffic/article188307784.html Geez, did someone just wake up and realize Johnston County existed and it had roads? WTF? Short version of the article: NCDOT just now realizes Johnston County / Clayton is growing, decides to do something about it. Article makes no mention of the ****-poor planning the town and County have done over the years to create the mess that taxpayer dollars now have to fix.
Maybe you should have told them how to do it in the late 80's. Of course, investing in Apple would have been easier.
You can thank former Governor Mccrory for changing the STIP (State Transportation Improvement Project) ranking system to use actual data instead of political pressure in choosing highway funding. As for local planning, I do hope you will vote for incorporation of Cleveland township! If you live in Clayton ETJ I can't help you... but the planning department can!
This meeting is tonight, DOT is looking to spend about $66,000,000 on NC42 from NC50 to 70 Business, widening to a 4-lane divided highway. This is so long overdue!
https://www.ncdot.gov/download/projects/publichearings/R-3410_rdy_psh_roll_1_web.pdf https://www.ncdot.gov/download/projects/publichearings/R-3410_rdy_psh_roll_2_web.pdf https://www.ncdot.gov/download/projects/publichearings/R-3410_rdy_psh_roll_3_web.pdf https://www.ncdot.gov/download/projects/publichearings/R-3410_rdy_psh_roll_4_web.pdf https://www.ncdot.gov/download/projects/publichearings/R-3410_rdy_psh_roll_5_web.pdf https://www.ncdot.gov/download/projects/publichearings/R-3410_rdy_psh_roll_6_web.pdf https://www.ncdot.gov/download/projects/publichearings/R-3410_rdy_psh_roll_7_web.pdf
Had to travel east on 42 through the Flowers Plantation area yesterday. Traffic was crazy and the area looked like a war zone. Later,on my return, the fun continued when I sat through several lights near the 40/42 intersection. I thought maybe there was an accident but no, traffic in turn lane to 40 east was backed up and blocking traffic. The traffic was much more congested in this area. Is it really going to be 2020 before they work on this area? If so, I'm going to need a helo or hovercraft!
I would much rather put up with two to three years of construction along the entire stretch, including 40/42, 42/50 42/70, as well as I 40 and 540 all going on at the same time than 8 years of consecutive construction Wouldn't you?
I'm sure it's a budget thing more than anything. And since the part of 540 being built from 40 to 64 will be going on until 2028, that's 10 years of construction in the area. I would bet that starting towards the end of this year or sometime next year, commuting from 40/42 to Raleigh/RTP will be almost impossible. It's already horrible with current traffic levels. Imagine what it will be when they are widening I40 and have to close a lane down or narrow the lanes down for months at at time.
42/55/540 looking better all the time. Actually I think this construction will turn Conwallis into an even worse nightmare in the rush hours with people trying to avoid most of this mess by taking it around the 40 construction.
Now everyone that reads this will start going that way and create a traffic jam for that way. And lessen traffic the other way.
