Work on Durham urban wetland to reroute downtown traffic for months. What’s coming?
Construction on a future wetland in Durham’s Trinity Park neighborhood will reroute traffic for the next several months.
The $41 million South Ellerbe Restoration Project has been a years-long effort to turn 9 acres on West Trinity Ave. into a public green space. The 4.3 acre wetland will filter polluted stormwater and slow runoff in the Ellerbe Creek watershed, which drains to Falls Lake, the source of drinking water for Raleigh.
Drivers, pedestrians and motorists can expect a major traffic change through mid-September.
What you can expect
Crews will close Duke Street between West Trinity Avenue and Monmonth Avenue, with digital message boards and detour signs directing traffic around the work zone. Duke Street is a major north-south corridor in Durham connecting Interstate 85 and N.C 147.
Drivers can use Washington Street or Buchanan Boulevard as alternatives to avoid the area, according to the city. A detour has been established for pedestrians and cyclists using Markham Avenue and Washington Street.
Why this matters and what’s being built
The project is intended to help meet the Falls Lake Nutrient Strategy, which requires reducing pollution from both new development and older urban areas built before modern stormwater rules
Officials describe it as a “unique chance” to filter and hold back rain runoff in a heavily developed area near downtown. The project site is three blocks from Duke University’s East Campus and across from Duke Towers. In February, the city was granted $800,000 from the state to help fund the project.
The end goal is the wetland and two restored tributaries with new public features:
- A loop trail that connects to South Ellerbe Creek Trail and the future Durham Rail Trail
- A pedestrian plaza along West Trinity Avenue
- A public lawn with views of the watershed
- Seating, educational signage, and public art
- A safer Trinity Avenue streetscape with a protected bike lane, bridges and boardwalks crossing the wetland
The city is currently in Phase 3A of the construction, which consists of utility and drainage upgrades, sewer and water line relocations and stomwater modifications.
Phase 3B, the construction of the wetland and stream, will begin later this year.
For information about the South Ellerbe Restoration Project, contact watersheds@durhamnc.gov.
This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 4:37 PM.