Triangle Expressway and Western Wake Freeway News
From NCDOT:
From the Town of Apex:
Western Wake Freeway
Construction of the Western Wake Freeway broke ground on August 12, 2009. The freeway is scheduled to be open to traffic by 2013. Contact the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) at (919) 571-3000 or visit the NCTA project website for more information.
The Western Wake Freeway is a component of Triangle Expressway that forms the western extension of the I-540, the outer freeway loop around Raleigh. This section of the Triangle Expressway extends from NC 55 near Morrisville south to NC 55 Bypass between Old Smithfield Road and Technology Drive in Apex (12.6 miles) with an estimated construction cost of close to $800 million. Apex will be served by four (4) interchanges along the route including US 64 Highway, Old US 1 Highway/South Salem Street, US 1 Highway and NC 55 Bypass. Private development plans have also included an additional interchange at Old Holly Springs Apex Road between US 1 and NC 55 Bypass which may also be constructed. That interchange would be the fifth one in Apex. A map showing the planned access points can be found on the Town’s website.
In addition to the interchanges mentioned above, other related projects are being constructed nearby within the scope of the expressway project:
- Completion of Beaver Creek Commons Drive over the expressway corridor: Until that time, Beaver Creek Commons Drive will not be open to traffic between Kelly Road and the Beaver Creek Crossings shopping center.
- Construction of an interchange for Kelly Road at US 64: The existing limited movement median crossover has been a concern of local residents. It was intended to improve safety by eliminating through movements and left turns coming out of the side street approaches to US 64. The square loop interchange design includes two (2) bi-directional loops to the west so all movements to/from US 64 will be served in a low-speed urban interchange.
- Conversion of Green Level Church Road on US 64 to right-in/right-out only: The signalized full movement intersection was permitted by NCDOT under the condition that when the expressway is constructed, the median break will be closed and the traffic signal will be removed. This was because the traffic signal would otherwise be a dangerous bottleneck between the interchanges at NC 55 Highway and Western Wake Freeway. Completion of other projects including Beaver Creek Commons Drive and the Kelly Road interchange will improve access to the Beaver Creek Crossings shopping center to offset the effects of this restriction.
- Realignment of Green Level Church Road eastward to tie-in at Jenks Road: Because of the alignment of the roadway where it connects to Kelly Road, it will be moved eastward to accommodate the expressway. That avoids an additional structure over the expressway, so traffic on Green Level Church Road will rely on Jenks Road to cross the expressway corridor.
| Project Schedule | |
| Phase I: Open to Traffic | Dec. 8, 2011 |
| Free drive time | No tolls between Dec. 8 & Jan. 3 |
| Tolls begin on Triangle Parkway section - (NC 540 exception – tolls begin later in 2012) |
Jan. 3, 2012 |
| Phase II: Under construction | 2012 |
| Western Wake Freeway open to traffic | Later in 2012 |
November 2007:
In November 2007, the Town of Apex obtained approximately 9,000 Acres of land from Wake County to control from a planning and zoning perspective.
The town has hired Land Design of Charlotte to assist with future land use. One area of major concern is the US 64 West corridor from NC 55 to the Chatham County line, NC 751. Traffic on both US 64 and NC 751 are increasing daily.
Increased traffic normally encourages commercial development, for example, retail stores, class A office buildings, and multi-family residential, yet Apex is leaning towards very low density residential and little growth. NC DOT has designated US 64 as a major traffic artery from Cary to Statesville, thus making it a limited access, very high traffic corridor.
The I-540 Western Toll Road is down to the short rows as it has been let out for bids. The Toll Road Authority has obtained private financing but is waiting for an answer from NC DOT and the NC House and Senate for GAP funding. It is projected that the bids could be let out as early as July 2008 with construction to begin in 2009.
Because a major interchange will be built on US 64, the demand for services of all kinds will soon follow.
Although a major road normally pushes land values up, the lack of needed sewer capacity may put the brakes on land appreciation on US 64 for 3-5 years.
NCDOT Calling Citizens Meetings for US 64 Corridor Input May 19 and 20, 2008
The Department of Transportation has scheduled two public information workshops in Apex and Chatham County on the US 64 corridor study, specifically focusing on the section of the highway between US 1 in Cary to Business 64 in Pittsboro. They are partnering with the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and affected local governments, and are slated for:
- Monday, May 19, Apex High School, 1501 Laura Duncan Road, Apex
- Tuesday, May 20, Northwood High School, 310 Northwood High School Road, Pittsboro (on 15/501 just north of Pittsboro)
The public can stop by either workshop anytime between 5 to 8 pm to get information on the corridor study and find out what it means for long-range development of US 64.
More information can be found on our News webpage, and at www.ncdot.org/~us64study
