Highway project removes left turns
By Steve Herring
Published in News on July 16, 2017 1:45 AM
FAISON -- Left turns from N.C. 50 onto the U.S. 117 Connector will be eliminated under planned superstreet improvements at the roads' intersection just north of Faison.
The project is designed to reduce angle and left turn crashes.
There were 10 crashes at the intersection between 2009-2014 -- six angle crashes and two left turn crashes.
One of the left turn crashes resulted in two fatalities.
The N.C. Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting for the proposed superstreet improvements from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 25, at Faison Town Hall, 110 N.E. Center St.
No formal presentation will be made at the meeting, but interested citizens may attend at any time during the meeting hours.
DOT representatives will be available to answer questions and receive comments regarding the project.
All comments received will be taken into consideration as the project progresses, DOT officials said.
No right-of-way acquisition will be required.
Construction of the estimated $1.6 million project is scheduled to start in June, 2018.
A superstreet, also referred to as a "synchronized street," improves safety and reduces delays by eliminating left turns from side streets. Instead, drivers make U-turns at a safer distance from the intersection.
N.C. 50 is a two-lane undivided roadway, controlled by stop signs with red flashing beacons to provide additional warnings to approaching vehicles at the intersection. It has a 55 mph speed limit.
The U.S. 117 Connector is a four-lane divided roadway with right and left turn lanes in both directions at the intersection.
It operates as a free movement with yellow flashing beacons. The speed limit is 60 mph.
Under this plan traffic on N.C. 50 would no longer be able to cross he U.S. 117 Connector in order to make a turn left.
Motorists on N.C. 50 would have to turn right onto the U.S. 117 Connector and travel along the road for a certain distance, 950 to 1,000 feet, before they could make a U-turn.
However, traffic on the U.S. 117 Connector would still be able to turn left onto N.C. 50.
The improvements are expected to reduce angle collisions by reducing the physical conflict points at the intersection.
Also, the U-turn movements are also expected to decrease both queue length and delay at the intersection.
As information becomes available, it may be viewed online at the DOT public meeting website at www.ncdot.gov/projects/publicmeetings.
For more information, contact Michael Bass, Division 3 project manager, at 910-341-2000 or by email at [email protected].
Comments should be submitted by August 14.
The DOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in the Faision meeting.
Anyone requiring special services should contact Alligood as early as possible, so that these arrangements can be made.
Persons who speak Spanish and do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior to the meeting by calling 1-800-481-6494.