The NCDOT is hard at work to improve business access and enhance roadway safety

As Nash County continues to grow, the North Carolina Department of Transportation is working hard to keep up with increasing traffic and business demands. “NCDOT’s mission is to provide a safe and reliable transportation network that gets people to work and school and to access the health care they need. We are a fast-growing state, and we need to keep up with that growth. We are glad to see our efforts also help keep our state’s economy thriving, and we also want to help grow the small businesses that we need in our construction industry,” said Kevin Bowen, Division Engineer for Highway Division 4, which covers Edgecombe, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Wayne, and Wilson counties.

One of the main focuses in Nash County is the I-95 connector between Rocky Mount and Nashville. DOT proposals in Nash County are aimed at improving not only traffic but increasing safety by widening stretches of Eastern Avenue, North Old Carriage Road, and Sunset Avenue between the two cities.

“We have noticed that Nashville and Rocky Mount are growing at an exponential rate and we're trying to tie these areas together which are currently divided by I-95. These changes will better serve businesses looking to relocate to the area and provide increased access to the existing local businesses,” said Kim Moore, the Resident Engineer for Nash County. “Everywhere we have construction ongoing was [originally] a two-lane road. There are numerous areas where drivers repeatedly have accidents while trying to turn left. With this construction, we are expanding to four lanes with a divided median and improving the overall functionality and safety of the roadway.”

In addition to safety, these infrastructure improvements will also enhance access to businesses in the area. “We have a lot of small mom-and-pop businesses opening in the Nashville-Rocky Mount area, and this will increase access to them,” said Moore.“These projects make I-95 more accessible and allow for future growth while also shortening drivers travel time between Nashville and Rocky Mount.”

The community is responding well to the construction underway. “People are excited that these much-needed improvements are on the way for a growing area such as this. They understand this is an active work zone, so there are minor inconveniences during the construction, but the improvements will help this area continue to grow while keeping people and goods moving safely and efficiently along these corridors,” said Bowen.

The NCDOT is expecting construction to be completed in 2024, but this is also contingent on weather conditions or onsite changes that the DOT decides to implement during construction. "Eastern and Sunset Avenue, the larger of the two projects, is currently 55% complete. Currently, the fall of 2024 is the expected completion date, but certain sections will be completed sooner because the contractor broke construction into two phases. The first phase begins in Nashville and ends at Old Carriage Road. The second phase is from Old Carriage Road, continuing across I-95 and ending at Halifax Road. The first phase could very likely be completed and open for traffic by the end of 2022," said Moore.

"The project on Old Carriage Road connects to the Eastern Avenue and Sunset Avenue project. A new bridge will be constructed over US-64 and the projects should be completed around the same time. The Old Carriage Road project is currently 7% complete," said Moore. Old Carriage Road is located adjacent to Nash Community College and between two prominent high schools, resulting in a significant volume of school traffic. "Widening the lanes and adding the roundabouts will help keep traffic flowing at the locations, especially in the morning and afternoon when traffic is heaviest," said Moore.