Anyone who dropped in during Tuesday’s NCDOT meeting at E.M. Rollins School got a chance to view project maps and speak with transportation officials about just what the $57 million Dabney Drive upgrade is going to look like.
From initial conceptual drawings, what it’s going to look like is very different.
The proposed upgrades include a peanut-shaped roundabout at Dorsey Avenue and upgrading existing Dabney Drive for eastbound traffic and Corbitt Road and a former rail corridor for westbound traffic. But it also makes accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists who use the roadway.
Dabney Drive is a major transportation artery for the city that gives motorists access to residential, commercial, industrial, churches and institutional facilities located within the project area. There aren’t many times during the day that traffic isn’t congested, and NCDOT has been working on getting plans together for the upgrade since 2019.
Right now, projected costs to complete the Dabney Drive upgrade include $7.3 million for relocating utilities, $25 million for right-of-way acquisition, $24.4 million to complete an environmental document. Construction is set to begin in Fall 2027.
and utility companies to make sure the work “will minimize impacts to the greatest extent possible,” documents state.
No doubt NCDOT will have to acquire property, and once the design phase is complete, affected property owners will be contacted.. For more information about the right-of-way process, visit https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/Documents/right-of-way-residential-english.pdf#search=right%20of%20way.
In addition to fielding questions from the public, NCDOT representatives received comments, which will be reviewed and discussed as plans continue.
The project – U-5890 – has its own webpage https://publicinput.com/dabney-drive-henderson
NCDOT also invites public comment by email or phone. To send an email, visit dabney-drive-henderson@publicinput.com.
Phone 984.205.6615 and enter Code 4600 to leave a voice message.
Public comments can also be mailed to:
Zahid Baloch
NCDOT Division Project Team
1573 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1573
Comments should be submitted by Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.
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