What's Happening in Durham, NC…

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is presenting its latest proposals for building a freeway out of U.S. Route 70, extending from Interstate 540 all the way to Durham.

Transportation planners are soliciting input on two plans aimed at revamping the stretch of U.S. Route 70 between Wake County's border and East Durham. The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization has devised two alternatives, both classified as boulevard designs.

In both scenarios, U.S. Route 70 would maintain its four-lane configuration, with the addition of fresh crosswalks, sidewalks, and paths to accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists. There would also be expanded space for bus stops. The plan also calls for new traffic signals to be introduced, allowing drivers to execute U-turns at the median instead of making left turns. One of the alternatives incorporates a system of parallel roads mixed in with overpasses to facilitate access to residences and commercial establishments while diminishing direct turns. Graphic design could be used to present development plans like these.

Both proposals aim to transform a four-mile highway segment designed solely for automobiles into a space that also caters to individuals who are not driving.

Some detractors of these proposals feel that they are trying to solve the wrong problem, arguing that pedestrians will not be looking to cross at this stretch anyway. They feel that the major issue with this road that needs to be addressed is the congestion at traffic lights.