Northeast Raleigh is just weeks away from the start of a two-year-long road construction project to widen Atlantic Avenue between Highwoods Boulevard and New Hope Church Road.
IS LIKELY TO BE A QUARTER OF AN INCH OR LESS. I’LL OUTLINE WHEN THE RAIN CHANCES ARE THE HIGHEST COMING UP. >> ALL RIGHT, WE’LL SEE YOU IN A FEW MINUTES. THANKS, KAT. >>> WE ARE JUST A FEW WEEKS AWAY FROM THE START OF A TWO-YEAR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN NORTHEAST RALEIGH. THE NEARLY $12 MILLION WILL WIDEN HIGHWAY BOULEVARD AND NEW HOPE CHURCH ROAD. THAT’S JUST NORTH OF THE BELTLINE. WRAL’S MATT TALHELM SHOWS US THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON THE WAY AND HOW TO GET AROUND THE CONSTRUCTION. >> Reporter: 29,000 CARS A DAY DRIVE HERE ALONG ATLANTIC AVENUE. THE CITY TELLS ME THERE’S BEEN 295 CRASHES IN THIS ONE MILE STRETCH OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD. A FIFTH OF THOSE HAPPEN RIGHT HERE AT THIS INTERSECTION WITH THE FLASHING LIGHT AT INGRAM DRIVE. DEREK JAVIS DRIVES ATLANTIC AVENUE EVERY DAY. >> IT’S LIKE NASCAR SPEEDWAY. >> Reporter: HE TAKES THE TURN ONTO ATLANTIC AT THE FLASHING LIGHT INTERSECTION. >> IT’S DEFINITELY EASY TO GET INTO A WRECK. THE WAY THEY FLY AND THEN YOU’VE GOT PEOPLE TRYING TO TURN AT THE FLASHING LIGHT AND THEN PEOPLE COMING DOWN THE HILL, THEY MIGHT REAR END YOU. >> Reporter: THAT SPOT YOU’LL SEE SOME BIG CHANGES AS PART OF A WIDENING PROJECT DESIGNED TO IMPROVE SAFETY ALONG ATLANTIC AVENUE. THE INGRAM INTERSECTION SITS AT A VALLEY WITH TRAFFIC FLYING DOWNHILL FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS. >> WE’LL BE RAISING THE INTERSECTION THERE BY ABOUT THREE FEET TO HELP IMPROVE SIGHT LINE. >> Reporter: ATLANTIC WILL STAY TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTION AS IT CURVES AND ROLLS OVER THOSE HILLS. A NEW GRASS MEDIAN WILL DIVIDE EACH SIDE WITH LEFT TURN LANES AT A FEW SPOTS. RIGHT NOW THE ONLY THING SEPARATING THOSE NARROW LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC IS A DOUBLE YELLOW LINE. >> WITH THE SHARP CURVES THROUGH THERE, IT’S FAIRLY DANGEROUS FROM THE REAR-END PERSPECTIVE. SO HAVING NOTHING WILL BE A BIG BOOM FOR SAFETY. >> Reporter: THE PROJECT WILL WIDEN THE HIGHWAY TO NEW HOPE CHURCH ROAD. INGRAM DRIVE IS THE ONLY SPOT THAT WILL CLOSE DURING CONSTRUCTION WITH BRENTWOOD ROAD AS THE DETOUR. WORK IS EXPECTED TO START IN MID MARCH AND TAKE TWO YEARS TO FINISH. >> OF COURSE, IT’S GOING TO BE A MESS, BUT I’M ALL FOR GROWTH. I’M ALL FOR OUR CITY EXPANDING. >> Reporter: THE CITY TELLS ME THERE WILL BE NO LANE CLOSURES ON ATLANTIC AVENUE DURING THE MORNING AND EVENING COMMUTES WITH THIS CONSTRUCTION. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW IT COULD AFFECT YOUR COMMUTE, THERE IS A MEETING THAT’S COMING UP ON TUESDAY AT 6:00 P.M. WE’LL HAVE A LINK THERE WITH THE
