Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The decades-delayed East End Connector in Durham is finally about to get underway. About 2 weeks ago, WRAL reported that NCDOT is about to start buying up land for the project, and construction is scheduled for 2014. This project has been on the books since the 1960s but mired in a quagmire of deprioritization.
This will provide a much needed freeway connection between NC147 and I-85 east of Durham. This project will IMO have few impacts on a rather sparsely populated neighborhood, and has very high transportation value, so most would probably not call it controversial.
It will make access between North Durham and the rest of the Triangle region much easier. Right now you have to either drive through downtown or through East Durham on Alston Avenue, or zig zag over on Ellis and Miami.
That very same year, NCDOT is scheduled to begin widening Alston Avenue, a project which will have significantly more neighborhood impacts, is more controversial, and might be made unnecessary (or at least postponed or scaled back) with the drop in cut-through traffic after the East End Connector opens.
But the end product of both projects will be much easier access between North Durham and the rest of the region.
It will be nice to finally have a true freeway connection between I40 and I85 It's not as bad since they did the 85/us70 connection a few years back, but it just seems Podunk to have to get on surface streets with traffic lights.
It will be nice to finally have a true freeway connection between I40 and I85 It's not as bad since they did the 85/us70 connection a few years back, but it just seems Podunk to have to get on surface streets with traffic lights.
I40 & I85 already have a freeway connection via NC 147 on the west side of Durham. This additional connection will be much more convenient for northeast Durham to RTP and for those looking to head north on I-85 towards Virginia from RTP. It also creates a small loop freeway around central Durham combining sections of 147, 85, 70 & the new East End Connector.
My biggest concern with this new road is that it will create increased traffic on 147 between RTP and the East End Connector during rush hour. NC 147 is already pretty heavily traveled during these times and could benefit greatly from an extra lane in both directions at least as far as from Cornwallis to the new freeway connection.
Definitely looking forward to this to help ease travel to see family in Virginia from our home in Cary. Right now I usually take 147 to Ellis and then hop over to Miami to head up 70 to 85. That frequently seems to work better for us than cutting through residential neighborhoods closer to downtown Durham.
We used to take Miami all the way from 40, but found ourselves getting backed up by left turners up near Bethesda/Ellis in the afternoons. But they've widened that now, so we may try Miami once again in hopes that the delays are much less.
Eventual long term plans call for US70 to become a freeway from future EEC to I-540. Maybe that will take some of the traffic off the Durham Freeway.
The first step towards this is scheduled to begin construction in 2017 with converting the intersection at Brier Creek Parkway into a free flowing interchange. TW Alexander will probably be next.
My biggest concern with this new road is that it will create increased traffic on 147 between RTP and the East End Connector during rush hour. NC 147 is already pretty heavily traveled during these times and could benefit greatly from an extra lane in both directions at least as far as from Cornwallis to the new freeway connection.
This was my thought as well. It seems they would need to widen 147 between TW Alexander and Briggs Ave, which honestly needs to be done anyway imo. Traffic gets horribly backed up on there in the mornings and if there's an accident? Forget about it!
Definitely looking forward to this to help ease travel to see family in Virginia from our home in Cary. Right now I usually take 147 to Ellis and then hop over to Miami to head up 70 to 85. That frequently seems to work better for us than cutting through residential neighborhoods closer to downtown Durham.
Have you tried taking 540 to US-1 and connecting to 85 from there? That's what my family always does when we go up to NY. I know it seems like it should take more time but if you're leaving during non-peak hours it ends up taking less time, especially since there's basically no traffic lights after Wake Forest.
Eventual long term plans call for US70 to become a freeway from future EEC to I-540. Maybe that will take some of the traffic off the Durham Freeway.
The first step towards this is funded to begin construction in 2017 with converting the intersection at Brier Creek Parkway into a free flowing interchange. (NCDOT U-5518C). TW Alexander will probably be next (U-5518B). The project (U-4720) that upgrades the Durham County segment from Page Road to the future EEC is currently unfunded. The intersection of Miami/Mineral Springs with US70 has a lot of commercial development right next to the highway so converting it to an interchange will probably be expensive.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
