This section offers Cary citizens an update on the projects funded by the Shaping Cary’s Tomorrow Parks and Transportation Bonds overwhelmingly approved in a 2019 referendum.

Street Improvements Project

The Street Improvements Project for 2023 was substantially complete this quarter. The annual street improvements project includes the repaving of Cary-maintained streets as well as preventive maintenance techniques like patching and asphalt rejuvenation. Cary repaved a total of 12 miles of street in 2023 in the Highcroft, Wellsley, and Saratoga Park/Bond Pointe communities, along with Westhigh Street. Preventive maintenance, which includes repaving, patching, and asphalt rejuvenation, was also conducted on 19 miles of streets, bringing the total mileage of streets maintained in 2023 to 31. Preventive maintenance can lengthen the pavement’s lifecycle an additional four to six years, saving Cary money and improving the rating of the street network.

This quarter, staff also researched and tested a new product, fiber-reinforced asphalt, on Westhigh Street, which serves the Bishops Gate neighborhood off Southwest Cary Parkway. Prior to this project, Westhigh Street had several potholes, previous patches, and areas with poor asphalt ratings. Fiber-reinforced asphalt allowed for a thinner layer of asphalt to be placed to avoid conflicts with underground utilities buried shallowly. This product also allowed the repaving work to be completed faster with fewer impacts to residents and drivers while providing the necessary strength to support daily traffic. Staff anticipates fiber-reinforced asphalt will be another valuable tool in Cary’s pavement maintenance toolbox.

Upcoming Intersection Improvements

As Cary continues to grow, staff monitors impacts to the transportation system and proactively works to implement improvements for pedestrian, bike, and vehicle traffic. Cary’s Intersection Improvements Program helps address intersections that experience higher levels of congestion or safety-related concerns. Potential improvements could include installation of and updates to traffic signals, installation of additional turn lanes, pedestrian signals, crosswalks, and ramps. Several intersection improvement projects expected to begin in 2024 include:

• Kildaire Farm Road at Wake Technical Community College and Bond Park Drive at High House Road: Installation of a new traffic signal with signalized pedestrian crosswalks.
• High House Road at Maury O’Dell Place: Modification of intersection to eliminate left turns off Maury O’Dell Place.
• Kildaire Farm Road at Tryon Road, Tryon Road at Walnut Street, and Evans Road at Weston Parkway: Improvements to the existing signalized pedestrian crosswalks.
• Norwell Drive at Cary Parkway: Installation of a new traffic signal with signalized pedestrian crosswalks and a sidewalk connection between Silverridge and Silverrock courts.

Carpenter Fire Station Road Widening

Cary has successfully acquired the right-of-way necessary to facilitate the widening of Carpenter First Station Road between Cameron Pond Drive and N.C. 55. Utility relocations are expected to begin this winter, and road construction will begin when utility relocations are substantially complete. This project will widen Carpenter Fire Station Road to a four-lane, median-divided street with a sidewalk on the north side of the street and a street-side trail on the south side. Existing overhead utilities will remain overhead from Cameron Pond to Howard Road but will be installed underground from Howard Road to N.C. 55. The widening project is expected to be complete by 2027. 

Bid and Build Together: Black Creek Greenway/Cary Parkway 

This quarter, N.C. Department of Transportation approved the final plans for two pedestrian and greenway projects that intersect at the Black Creek Greenway. Given project proximity and similar timelines, Cary staff and NCDOT agreed to bid and build the projects together. This will facilitate coordination and communication. In addition, both projects received federal grants.

• The Black Creek Greenway renovations extend from West Dynasty Drive to Old Reedy Creek Road. Project highlights include widening and realigning Black Creek Greenway to improve safety, accommodate increased pedestrian use, and help prevent storm damage. The renovation project’s schedule was adjusted to allow for the sewer rehabilitation, which was recently completed. 
• The Cary Parkway Pedestrian Bridge and Sidewalk project will improve pedestrian safety by completing a significant gap along the corridor and next to North Cary Park. This Shaping Cary’s Tomorrow Bond project has been requested by residents to improve safety and connectivity between the neighborhoods, parks, and businesses in the area. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2024. Detours that were established with the sewer line rehabilitation will be used as needed during construction. For more information, visit carygreenwaydetour.com.

Cary opened the highly anticipated, realigned Morrisville Carpenter Road east of N.C. 55 on Dec. 19 with a new bridge supporting the CSX-owned railroad tracks. This new street segment completes a regional key east-west travel connection linking western Cary with N.C. 54 in Morrisville. This connection serves as a direct link to I-40 and Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Work on street lighting, median landscaping, and permanent pavement markings will continue intermittently into spring 2024.

This quarter, new crash analysis software known as CRASH was secured. Using crash report data collected from Cary police and the power of geospatial analytics, staff will be able to easily identify crash patterns and pinpoint where improvements can be made. CRASH will speed up the delivery of Cary’s safety programs by allowing staff to manage analyses rather than requesting reports from N.C. Department of Transportation. In addition, Cary will be able to perform before-and-after analyses as well as predictive analytics to help better understand what types of mitigations are most effective for citizens.

U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $1.09 billion federal grant to the proposed S-Line project, which would extend passenger rail service from Raleigh to Richmond, Va. Today the S-Line is a freight rail corridor owned by CSX that extends from Richmond to Tampa, passing through downtown Cary. NCDOT will use the grant for design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction costs for the first section of the S-Line from Raleigh to Wake Forest. The grant will also fund construction of highway and rail bridges, including two safety projects in Cary. The projects are a railroad grade separation at Trinity Road with construction expected in 2029 and a grade separation at Northeast Maynard Road at a yet-to-be determined date.  

GoCary has a new way to track buses in real time: GoCaryLive.org. This new website allows passengers to view the current location of buses along a single route or throughout the entire GoCary system. Users can select individual stops to see when the next bus will arrive and can customize their experience by creating favorite routes and stops for quick reference. The resource also includes a trip-planning feature to help passengers choose the best route and schedule. A companion GoCary app is expected to be available for use on smart devices in early 2024.

Cary’s Spot Safety Improvement Program serves to encourage safety through relatively simple modifications to pavement markings, traffic signs, curb ramps, and traffic signals. This quarter, highlighted projects include the following: 

• Sears Farm Road: This recently completed project features buffered bike lanes, traffic calming, and pedestrian warning devices to support cyclists and pedestrians accessing Sears Farm Road Park and greenways.
• Green Hope School Road Greenway: Completed this quarter, this project creates a safer connection for the greenway across Green Hope School Road near Highcroft Elementary School. Work included high-visibility pavement markings, pedestrian refuge islands, and rapid flashing beacon warning devices.
• Harrison Avenue: In its early stages, this project will install Cary’s first in-road warning lights. These devices, combined with high-visibility markings and LED-enhanced warning signs, are intended to improve safety for citizens crossing Harrison Avenue to access the Cary Depot.

Sidewalks reduce pedestrian crashes, increase pedestrian activity, and are key to creating walkable communities. Cary’s sidewalk program evaluates new sidewalks and crossings as requests are submitted by citizens, homeowner’s associations, the Wake County School System, Cary police, and staff. Cary regularly pursues grants and other funding resources to expand its sidewalk network. The following is a summary of sidewalk projects that are in development and approaching key milestones. For the complete list of sidewalk projects and their status, refer to the interactive map at carync.gov/sidewalks. 

Connecting Cary Sidewalk Projects

Designs for the Connecting Cary sidewalk and street-side trail projects are progressing and 75% complete. This project includes 14 sidewalk sites that are being partially funded by American Rescue Plan Act funds. These dollars were used to fill critical sidewalk gaps that have more challenging design considerations, like new stormwater facilities and road widenings. Easement acquisitions and permitting will begin winter 2024. 

Ederlee Drive/Holly Springs Road

The sidewalk projects along Ederlee Drive and Holly Springs Road have been advertised for construction, and the contract is pending award in early 2024. This project will fill a 1,200-foot gap in sidewalk on the east side of Ederlee Drive from Richelieu Drive to Avenue of the Estates, completing sidewalk connection between residential neighborhoods, Koka Booth Amphitheater, and the Symphony Lake and Swift Creek greenways. The work along Holly Springs Road will fill a 300-foot gap in the sidewalk between Cary Parkway and Jones Franklin Road. The new sidewalk will connect communities at Cary Parkway and Holly Springs Road to the commercial shopping center at Tryon Road. 

Ferson Road

Staff has been working on various designs for pedestrian improvements at the intersection of Ferson Road and Morrisville Parkway. Two designs are in progress: Phase 1 to address immediate pedestrian crossing concerns, while a larger intersection realignment design as part of Phase 2 will require approval by N.C. Department of Transportation. Design for Phase 1 includes adding a high-visibility crosswalk and associated warning signs at the intersection. Phase 2 includes realignment of Ferson and Green Hope School roads as well as a greenway extension along Morrisville Parkway from
Ferson Road to the American Tobacco Trail. Realignment of the intersection will enhance safety for pedestrians and vehicles. Construction of Phase 1 is expected to begin in spring 2024, while Phase 2 is anticipated to start construction in fall 2024, pending NCDOT approval.

Louis Stephens Drive

Sidewalk and a street-side trail will complete a gap along Louis Stephens Drive connecting Green Hope Elementary School, Green Hope Elementary Park, and Cary Tennis Park with local shopping and businesses along High House Road to the south. During the design phase, the project was modified to stay within the existing right-of-way, reducing impacts to property owners. Construction is anticipated in 2025 and includes street resurfacing and repairs along Louis Stephens Drive from Carpenter Upchurch Road to Morrisville Parkway. 

This quarter, N.C. Department of Transportation approved construction of a pedestrian hybrid beacon, or PHB, at the crosswalk on Walnut Street in front of Cary High School. Construction is expected to begin this summer. A PHB is a traffic control device designed to help pedestrians safely cross higher-speed roadways at midblock crossings and uncontrolled intersections. This project will replace the concrete median on either side of the crosswalk with a longer, landscaped median. The metal pole for the PHB will be installed in the landscaped median with dual mast arms, each providing traffic control for the eastbound and westbound traffic on Walnut Street. The landscaped median would include features based on a collaborative exercise between the Cary Urban Design Studio and Cary High School.

As a leader in innovation that can improve the lives of citizens, Cary embarked on testing autonomous vehicle technology this year with the CASSI shuttle project in Bond Park. This pilot program was a success, hosting nearly 1,800 riders over a three-month period. Taking the lessons learned from this pilot, N.C. Department of Transportation continued to test the CASSI shuttle with a more complex environment on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte campus. 

This quarter, Cary staff visited UNC Charlotte for the final pilot of CASSI. There, representatives from the university and NCDOT shared their experiences during this phase of testing with particular focus on how the lessons learned during the Cary pilot led to improvements in their program. Of note, UNC Charlotte researchers will be working with Cary data scientists to integrate data and share delivery methods for the benefit of the NCDOT researchers and CASSI users. The visit was capped off with a trip on CASSI along its new route on the UNC Charlotte campus. The new route was noted as more complex due to the increased presence of pedestrians in a college campus environment, four connected traffic signals, and multiple left-turn movements that required decision-making from the shuttle.