Road Worrier:An environmental group says the N.C. Turnpike Authority is far too optimistic in its forecast for car counts and toll collections on the planned Triangle Expressway.

S.T. Wooten Corp. of Wilson will start work this month widening a six-mile section of Interstate 40 in West Raleigh, a long-sought project to ease congestion on the Triangle's worst commuter bottleneck.

Gas is a lot cheaper than it was during Independence Day weekend last year, but times are tougher overall. So more of us plan to stay home for the holiday this year.

The junction of Interstate 77 and 85, built in 1976, doesn't have soaring flyover ramps found on more modern interchanges. Instead, it has a number of tight, cloverleaf turns – two of which have proved particularly accident prone.

Road Worrier:This week, the state Division of Motor Vehicles will stop handing out driver's licenses at its six local offices across Wake County. Instead, DMV will start delivering licenses by mail.

Early morning commuters eastbound on Interstate 40 may encounter delays today if overnight maintenance work isn't complete on three of four lanes scheduled to be closed along a two-mile stretch through Raleigh.

A state trooper was accidentally hit with pepper spray while trying to subdue a suspect Sunday night at the Clayton Police Department.

Budget problems didn't prevent the state from buying 72 pickup trucks for school districts in February, but travel restrictions kept local drivers from picking them up.

An 18-year-old man was killed in a wreck on Interstate 95 Saturday evening near Benson.

The same smiling face has greeted customers at Jack Daniels' Grocery and Deli for 40 years.

A 29-year-old man was killed Saturday afternoon after his BMW ran off the road, struck a sign and several trees, and flipped upside down on Interstate 540 in North Raleigh.

The driver of a BMW that overturned on eastbound Interstate 540 in North Raleigh this afternoon was pronounced dead at WakeMed.

A car carrying two N.C. State students struck a fire truck on Interstate 40 early this morning, according to firefighters on the scene.

Raleigh police don't see much humor in the towering creature made of construction barrels that spent less than a day near a Hillsborough Street construction zone.

A gas line rupture in Downtown Durham caused some downtown residents to be evacuated this morning. Roads have been reopened and the gas has been shut off.

The House took a final vote Monday on a bill that will prevent the state gas tax from dropping next month.

The public is encouraged to allow extra time traveling around the Duke University campus today through Thursday during several special events, including Durham Public Schools graduation ceremonies and a celebration to honor the late John Hope Franklin and his wife, Aurelia Whittington Franklin.