Cary completed the road diet on Walnut Street from Cary Towne Boulevard to Byrum Street this summer. This project included installing in-road pedestrian warning lights at the mid-block crossing adjacent to R.S. Dunham Park and converting outside vehicle lanes to buffered bike lanes in both directions. Road diet improvements were designed in coordination with Cary residents to enhance corridor safety and improve multimodal access to downtown. Initial feedback has been positive, and staff will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of these improvements over the next several months before planning any future phases.

In August, staff expanded Cary’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure with two new pedestals at the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility. Each new pedestal has two Level 2 charging ports, allowing up to four vehicles to charge simultaneously. This installation completes the goal of installing EV charging stations at each of Cary’s water and wastewater treatment facilities. The four facilities are geographically widespread within Cary and provide charging for on-site EVs and remote charging opportunities for Cary’s overall EV fleet. 

Pedestrian mobility is ever evolving as Cary grows and redevelops, and improvements to the transportation system promote safety and help keep up with how people are moving. This quarter was active with projects that bridged gaps in the sidewalk network, improved pedestrian accessibility, and sought to increase motorist awareness of vulnerable users. 

• Northwest Cary Parkway: The sidewalk on the west side of Northwest Cary Parkway is complete, with the installation of a final segment that provides a safe and accessible route connecting adjacent neighborhoods to Park West Village, recreation, transit, and Weatherstone Elementary School. 
• West Lake Road: A new sidewalk was built along West Lake Road connecting Serene Forest Drive to Larboard Drive.
• Middle Creek Park Avenue: Curb ramps were replaced between Middle Creek elementary and high schools and paired with high-visibility pavement markings, LED-enhanced signs, and audible push buttons, providing improved accessibility and visibility. 
• Arthur Pierce Road: In partnership with the N.C. Department of Transportation, a new mid-block crosswalk and refuge island were completed on Arthur Pierce Road. This project also helped catalyze NCDOT staff to recommend a speed limit reduction for the corridor to promote safe driving behaviors. 
• Fussell Avenue: In response to resident requests, a high-visibility crosswalk with LED-enhanced signs was installed across Fussell Avenue to better serve Alston Ridge Middle School. 
• Downtown: Safety improvements were made to four intersections in the western part of downtown, including new stop signs, pavement markings, and LED-enhanced pedestrian signs, intended to improve awareness for all users of the road network. 
• West Chatham Street: A sidewalk connection was made to fill the gap between the West Chatham Street roundabout and the new breweries, South Line and Vicious Fishes. 
• West Cornwall Road: After coordination with area residents and Glenaire, pavement markings were installed along West Cornwall Road to calm traffic and improve the visibility of pedestrians at the crosswalk. The markings are intended to provide a better line of sight at the crosswalk and are paired with pedestrian warning flags to be used by walkers to alert drivers to their presence. 
• Walnut Street: Construction was completed on a pedestrian hybrid beacon on Walnut Street in front of Cary High School. A highly effective pedestrian safety device for at-grade crossings, the PHB provides a dedicated crossing phase that stops vehicles, ensuring safe pedestrian passage. 

Cary staff have been working this year to identify all existing street stubs in Cary to ensure those locations are treated consistently and meet resident expectations. Street stubs are a necessary part of Cary’s mobility network, as they allow for future connectivity of streets and pathways and provide future options for residents to reach their destinations without having to choose major thoroughfares.

Cary’s Street Connectivity GIS dashboard continues to be updated as staff improve locations identified as deficient. This quarter, 40 stubs across Cary were updated with new signs to identify future connectivity. These locations were cleaned of debris, and vegetation was trimmed. With the completion of this work, 116 of 160 identified street stubs now meet current standards. Staff will be working on the remaining locations over the coming year.

Cary completed another successful Powell Bill submission and anticipates receiving more than $5 million in state funding this year for transportation-related improvements. North Carolina’s State Street Aid Program (Powell Bill) provides local municipalities funding based on population and maintained street mileage. As of this fiscal year, Cary maintains 519 miles of streets. These funds primarily support planning, construction, and maintenance of streets, greenways, and sidewalks. 

This quarter was all about public outreach and education for GoCary. Staff participated in 13 outreach events, including the inaugural Cary Public Service Academy, travel training for case managers with Dorcas Ministries, and GoCary app demonstrations for the Glenaire community and the Raleigh Chinese Christian Church congregation (with the help of a translator). The GoCary app is a popular event topic and has had almost 3,500 downloads since launching this spring. Also, the GoCary Dashboard is now available at gocary.org/gocarydashboard. This tool gives users a new way to explore details about individual stops and view connections to other amenities in their community, like greenways, schools, parks, and more.

On Sept. 25, N.C. Turnpike Authority opened Complete 540 Phase 1, a 17-mile extension from N.C. 55 Bypass in Apex to the I-40/U.S. 70 interchange in Garner. This new highway section features six travel lanes, a 70-foot-wide median, and a speed limit of 70 mph. Staff attended the ribbon cutting on Sept. 24 and walked the corridor before its official opening. Final construction activities will continue, and two interchanges — Bells Lake Road (exit 47) and Old Stage Road (exit 43) — will experience delays until November 2024. Phase 2, currently under construction, will complete the 540 loop by late 2028. More details can be found at ncdot.gov/complete540.