WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WNCN) — As Capital Boulevard is staring down the road of a possible added toll, local commissioners are asking the General Assembly to push a higher prioritization of construction on Capital Boulevard/ U.S. Highway 1 in Wake Forest.
With a new resolution adopted Tuesday, the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners requests that the state put together an immediate plan of action to fix the old embattled road that has been in a state of reconstruction mode for the past couple of years.
According to the petition, the board of commissioners requests the state to “immediately prioritize and fully fund the construction of the US 1 improvements through a direct appropriation, a statewide transportation bond, or other means, with a firm commitment to begin construction no later than the Spring of 2027 and completion by Spring 2033, as outlined in the most recent corridor analysis.”
PREVIOUSLY: U.S. 1 congestion concerns: Wake County community weighs toll options for improvements
Capital Boulevard in the Wake Forest area has seen tremendous concerns by residents, commuters and officials from all over— and has asked for improvements to the road for two decades. The board’s resolution pressures the state under the grounds that Capital Boulevard in that area is a state-maintained roadway, “and the state’s failure to act has put Wake Forest at an economic and transportation disadvantage.”
An official with the NC Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization previously told CBS 17 that funding to improve the corridor has been delayed five times. The organization also said that since the initial drafting of funds needed, the estimated costs to fix the road have more than doubled.
One of the other requests from the board of commissioners is that specific attention is needed at one of the intersections that the Wake Forest Police Department said was at a high risk of crashes, Burlington Mills Road and US-1/Capital Boulevard. They wish to complete improvements on “the most acute hazards and bottlenecks” by Spring 2027.
