Overview (Spring 2007)

The Town has studied traffic issues in the Crossroads area since Crossroads Plaza shopping center opened in the early 1990s. The shopping center was built after plans for a regional mall there failed. While the mall plan envisioned customers from all of Wake County, the shopping center serves a smaller area and draws more traffic from the west and south.

Crossroads traffic factors include:

  • Timing - In other parts of Cary, traffic is heaviest at evening rush hour. However, Walnut Street is busiest on Saturday afternoons and during weekday lunchtimes.

  • Volume - Walnut Street is among the most-traveled roads in Wake County with 50,000 vehicles per day. That is nearly 40 percent of what Interstate 40 (eight lanes, access only at interchanges) carried near the airport in 2001.
Traffic volumes on Walnut Street have remained relatively constant with the addition of shopping centers and home improvement stores in Holly Springs and Apex. Even with the high volume of traffic on Walnut Street, however, the amount continues to increase about 1 percent annually.

Addressing Traffic in the Crossroads Area

Since 1996, $56.5 million has been committed for projects in the Crossroads area, including $25 million for state Department of Transportation work there.

Current Projects

Completed Projects

  • Walnut Street Widening and Realignment (Dillard Drive to Holly Springs Road) Description - Six lanes plus shifting of Walnut Street/Tryon Road intersection to separate traffic using Jones Franklin Road. Cost: $7.4 million

  • Dillard Drive Extension (Walnut Street to Piney Plains Road)
    Description - New five lane connection serving traffic from south and west. Cost: $1.2 million

  • Traffic Signal Coordination on Walnut Street
    Description - Signals along Walnut Street linked using phone lines and controllers. Timing based on traffic conditions and adjusted during weekend observation. Cost: $100,000

  • Piney Plains Road Median Closing
    Description - Median break closed to increase storage length for Meeting Street left turn lane and to eliminate the need for a traffic light. N.C. Department of Transportation intended to install traffic signals there in response to accidents. However, adding traffic signals so near the existing ramp signals would have worsened congestion.

Pending Projects

  • Walnut Street Corridor Improvements (Phase I)

    Description - Group of projects based on a November 2001 study to extend Meeting Street to Crossroads Boulevard, add dual turn lanes for US 1/64 exit ramp, and erect overhead signs.

    Status - Town and state engineers have met to decide the need and feasibility of the Southeastern Area Plan projects. The Town is moving forward with certain projects shown on the plan.

  • Walnut Street Widening (Northbound)

    Description - Widening to occur in conjunction with state's 1/64 project since the project provides no benefit without the additional lanes on the bridge over US 1/64

    Status - Existing design plans are being updated. Construction is estimated to begin Spring 2007.

Contact

For more information on a specific project, contact the engineer assigned to it. For general Crossroads traffic issues, contact:

Kristen Dwiggins, E.I.
Town of Cary
Engineering Department
(919) 462-3930
kristen.dwiggins@townofcary.org

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