The southern leg of NC 540 in Wake County won’t open before Labor Day as expected
The N.C. Turnpike Authority was determined to open the next leg of N.C. 540, the Triangle Expressway, in time for Labor Day traffic.
That’s not going to happen.
Heavy rain from Tropical Storm Debby last week caused erosion problems that are going to delay the opening at least two weeks, said spokesman Logen Hodges. The state hasn’t set a new opening date, but Hodges said it will be sometime in September, barring other setbacks.
The 18-mile section of highway has been under construction since the fall of 2019. It will extend the Triangle Expressway toll road from N.C. 55 near Apex and Holly Springs east to Interstate 40 and U.S. 70 at the Johnston County line. Starting from I-40 near Research Triangle Park, the road will provide an alternative route through Wake County that avoids Raleigh.
J.J. Eden, executive director of the Turnpike Authority, said earlier this month that it would hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 27 and open the road to traffic the following morning. Eden acknowledged that weather could make that goal difficult, but said “we’re going to do everything in our power to get it open then.”
It wasn’t enough. Several inches of rain from Debby aggravated some existing erosion problems along parts of the new highway, said Hodges, bringing work to a halt.
“The entire contractor team is working to get those erosion-control measures fixed and hope to have those fixed today,” Hodges said Wednesday morning. “Unfortunately for us, that means we basically lost two weeks of work,” including several days to get subcontractors back on site.
Even after the road opens, contractors will have additional work to do, particularly at the Old Stage Road and Bells Lake interchanges. There will be some lane closures some nights as well.
The 18 miles of new highway is the first of a two-phase effort to complete the 540 Outer Loop around Raleigh. Construction began this year on the final 10-mile section from I-40 up to I-87 in Knightdale. It’s expected to open sometime in 2028.
The Turnpike Authority is an arm of the N.C. Department of Transportation that builds and operates toll roads in the state. Tolls on the Triangle Expressway depend on how far you drive.
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This story was originally published August 14, 2024 at 12:27 PM.
