Flooded roads in the Triangle begin to reopen

As the sun returned to the Triangle on Tuesday, the flooded roadways that had created headaches for commuters in the morning began to clear in time for the drive home.

But some streets and roads remained closed, particularly in Johnston County, where dozens of roads were impassable and not expected to reopen until Wednesday afternoon, according to the state Department of Transportation.

“Johnston County, I think, is the most heavily hit,” NCDOT spokesman Steve Abbott said Tuesday.

NCDOT also closed a section of Old Milburnie Road near Knightdale because of possible pipe damage caused by the flooding. The road is closed near Penselwood Drive between the Neuse River and Milburnie Lake and isn’t expected to open until May 2.

In Raleigh, Crabtree Creek rose quickly Tuesday morning, spilling across roads around Crabtree Valley Mall and near Wake Forest Road and Capital Boulevard north of downtown. Crabtree Creek crested at 21.32 feet near the mall Tuesday morning, in a place where it is normally five feet deep.

When the rain stopped late Tuesday morning, smaller streams and creeks quickly began to recede, but Crabtree Creek took longer. Most roads along the creek were reopened by evening, but Blue Ridge Road at Glenwood was not expected to reopen until around 4 p.m. Wednesday, according to NCDOT.

As the water disappears, NCDOT workers are checking to be sure the roads are safe and clear of debris before reopening them. But Abbott said some people were getting ahead of the inspectors and driving around the barricades.

“If the road is closed, it’s closed for a reason,” he said.

In Zebulon, police closed N.C. 97, West Gannon Avenue, after the Little River came up over it near Little River Park. It is expected to reopen around 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Other Triangle roads that are still closed include:

▪ Jonesville Road near Upchurch Lane near Raleigh due to a wash out. It is expected to open by 4 p.m. on Friday.

▪ Johnson Pond Road near Bells Lake Road near Apex. It is expected to open 4 p.m. Wednesday.

▪ Morphus Bridge Road at Corbin Road near Zebulon. It is expected to open by 6 p.m. Wednesday.

▪ Country Club Road near Pecan Grove Road near Zebulon. It is expected to open by 4 p.m. on Friday.

▪ Cornwallis Road near N.C. 42, west of Clayton. It is expected to open by 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

▪ Grasshopper Road at Carl Williamson Road near Raleigh. It is expected to open by 4 p.m. on Friday.

▪ Donny Brook Road, between Lake Wheeler Road and U.S. 401. It is expected to open at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

This story was originally published April 25, 2017 at 11:09 AM with the headline "Flooded roads in the Triangle begin to reopen."