Repairs to storm-damaged road in Apex begin soon, reopening date set
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- NCDOT awarded $2.1 million contract to repair Olive Chapel Road; work starts.
- Culvert collapse after August storm prompted acceleration of replacement project.
- Road will reopen in February 2025; detour handles 10,000+ vehicles daily.
A stretch of Olive Chapel Road closed since August when heavy rain undermined the pavement will reopen in February, the N.C. Department of Transportation said Tuesday.
NCDOT awarded a $2.1 million contract to replace a damaged culvert, relocate a water pipe and restore the road and the sidewalk. Ralph Hodge Construction Company of Wilson will begin the work this month.
Olive Chapel Road was closed Aug. 6 when swollen Beaver Creek overwhelmed two metal pipes under the pavement, causing one of them to collapse. The storm dropped several inches of rain on western Wake County in a few hours, with one spot in the Beaver Creek watershed receiving more than 9 inches.
The failed pipe was several decades old and scheduled to be replaced in 2027. Engineers determined temporary repairs weren’t possible and decided to accelerate the replacement project.
The new box-shaped aluminum culvert will be larger and allow more water to pass under the road, reducing the chances of flood damage in the future, according to NCDOT.
Meanwhile, Olive Chapel remains closed to through traffic between Kelly Road and Apex Peakway, a stretch that normally handles more than 10,000 cars a day, according to NCDOT. Drivers are directed on a detour that uses the Apex Peakway, N.C. 55, U.S. 64 and Kelly Road.
