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Q.The intersection of Norwood Road and Leesville Road is presently a rush- hour traffic nightmare. Construction of a huge elementary school is underway at the intersection. What plans are being made to handle this increased traffic in the future?

Jim Keane

A. Construction has already begun on Sycamore Creek Elementary, due to open as a year-round school in July. According to Reid Elmore, district engineer for the state Department of Transportation, the DOT mandated that Wake County School Systems make the following road improvements in the vicinity of the new school:

* straighten some of the curvature on Leesville Road;

* add an extra lane across the property frontage that will run all the way to Interstate 540;

* add signal modifications to accommodate extra left and right turn lanes at various locations

* modify the traffic pattern at the Norwood and Leesville intersection; and

* add a left turn lane on Farless Road for turning onto Leesville Road.

The changes should help with increased traffic that will be created by the school.

"We think we've done a good job [making recommendations that would] accommodate their site-generated traffic," said Elmore.

While all of the road improvements will probably not be done by the time Sycamore Creek opens its doors, most of them will be, Elmore says.